New post -Garden heroes with Six legs

Creating Leaf Mould for Your Garden

Make the Most of Storm Ashley’s Leaves: How to Create Leaf Compost for Your Garden

Collecting fallen leaves may seem like another autumn gardening task, but it’s actually a great opportunity for vegetable gardeners to create a valuable resource – leaf mould. It’s not only free but also an excellent soil improver and habitat for wildlife.

What is Leaf Mould/Compost?

Leaf mould is the dark, crumbly material left after leaves decompose. It’s a slow process, often taking around two years as the high carbon content of leaves means they break down slowly. However, once ready, it’s a fantastic soil amendment that’s well worth the wait. Importantly, unlike raw leaves, leaf mould won’t compete with your crops for nitrogen during decomposition.

Benefits of Leaf Mould

Improves Soil Structure: Adding leaf mould reduces soil density by 20%, making it easier for plant roots to grow and absorb nutrients.
Increases Water Retention: Leaf mould can hold up to 500 times its weight in water, improving your soil's ability to retain moisture.
Encourages Microbial Activity: As it decomposes, leaf mould stimulates microbial life, releasing valuable nutrients for your plants.

How to Make Leaf Mould from Fallen Leaves

Making leaf mould is simple. All you need are three things: leaves, moisture, and time. Just like in nature, where fallen leaves rot into rich humus on forest floors, you can replicate the process in your garden.

Collect Leaves: After Storm Ashley, there will be plenty of leaves available! Scoop them up with some “with Leaf collecting Grabbers ” or simply rake them into piles and shovel them up - I suggest gloves if you are using your hands
Store Leaves: Use either a mesh basket or biodegradable sacks like hessian or jute bags. These allow for good air circulation and will help the leaves decompose over time.
Let Nature Do Its Work: Moisture and fungi will slowly break the leaves down into rich leaf mould.

Tip: Avoid storing leaves in sealed plastic bags, as they can become anaerobic and smelly.

Leaf Mould for Your Garden

Once ready, leaf mould can be used as:

Mulch: Spread it over your beds to protect soil structure and suppress weeds. Let earthworms mix it into the soil.
Seedling Compost: Fully broken-down leaf mould is ideal as a base for seed sowing or as part of a potting mix.
Compost Mix: Leaves are high in carbon, so add them as the "brown" component in your compost, ideally mixed with grass clippings for a balanced nitrogen-to-carbon ratio.

Wildlife Benefits of Leaf Piles

Besides improving your soil, leaf piles are great for wildlife. As they decompose, they create habitats for earthworms, beetles, frogs, hedgehogs, and even birds and caterpillars. So, not only are you helping your garden thrive, but you’re also supporting local biodiversity.

Page updated

Google Sites