Here we are in the middle of prime leaf
raking season with leaf mold as a choice product for mulching perennial
gardens.
Surprisingly, very few gardeners in the US know about
this sweet-smelling, cocoa brown, moisture-retentive mulch. The
reason for this is probably because to have it you have to make it.
Leaf mold is nothing more than partially decomposed leaves that are
somewhere between shredded leaves and humus.
One of the best things about leaf mold is its capacity
to hold water, up to 500% of its own weight. As with all mulch,
leaf mold helps retain moisture by preventing evaporation and reduces
runoff during heavy rainstorms. In the heat of summer it helps
keep the root zone cool.
While freshly fallen leaves are slightly acidic, as they
break down they become neutral helping to moderate the soil. After
a few years of using leaf mold, the condition of your soil will improve
in ways expected from using composted material. Your soil will
retain moisture and the texture will lighten and feel friable and
crumbly. The beneficial soil bacteria will be abundantly happy.
Though leaves are not high in nitrogen, the deep roots of the tree mine
many beneficial trace minerals and nutrients that your garden will
benefit from.
Leaf Pile to Leaf Mold
Unlike conventional compost, making leaf mold is a cold
composting process. Although a leaf pile has been known to
heat up, decomposition is primarily done by fungi and is a much slower
process. Rate of decomposition depends on four key factors.
The most obvious is the type of leaves you have in your
pile. Oak leaves for instance have a high lignin content and
thus take longer to break down. Combining different kinds of
leaves will help speed the process along.
How moist your leaf pile is would be another
contributing factor. An unattended pile could take as much as
three years to breakdown. By keeping the pile moist and covered
you could cut that time to one year.
Is Shredding Worth the Effort?
Of course the easiest way to compost leaves is just to
rake them up into a great big pile and let them sit for two or three
years. But then the next year you have the same and before you
know it you have three piles of leaves each composting and taking up
space. If you shred the leaves the decomposition works faster
because the fungi have more surface to work on and plus shredded leaves
take up much less space, don't compact as easily thus allowing moisture
and air into the pile.
You can shred your leaves by running a mower over the
top of them or running them through a shredder.
Building a Leaf Pile
You don't expect this to be rocket science, and it's
not. But a leaf pile needs to be of fairly good size for it to
heat up and retain moisture. A diameter of about 6 feet and 5 feet
high should work fine. If you're using your neighbors bagged
leaves then it will take about 25 bags to do the job.
You can also pile the leaves in a bin made of wire or
wood. Make sure and moisten the pile as you go and cover with a
tarp. The tarp acts to hold in moisture and makes sure all your
hard work doesn't get blown over into your neighbors yard, (not a good
way to make friends by the way).
Uses For Your Leaf Mold
The leaf mold is ready to use once it is loose and
crumbly. It can be used anywhere you need moisture retention or to
just add organic matter to the soil. Because of its moisture
retention qualities, keep well away from root crowns.
Composted leaves will not rob the soil of nitrogen and
can be used in pots and to improve sandy or clay soils.
Leaves are still free and abundant this time of year.
Get started making your own high-quality, organic soil ammendment. Success, Christy
Mother Earth's Farm / VermiCulture Northwest
Worm Factory The cleanest, most efficient way to compost with worms.
www.vermiculturenorthwest.com
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