Article submitted by Alleyn Wilson
WHAT CAN I DO WITH ALL THE
AUTUMN LEAVES AND GRASS CUTTINGS?
The answer is ..... to use them in your garden.
Leaves and grass add valuable nutrients into the soil as they decompose.
It helps leaves to break up more quickly if you can shred them, or just run the mower over them. Leaves which are not shredded tend to form a mat which creates a barrier to air and water which will slow their composting.
Lawn clippings have high amounts of nitrogen and small amounts of carbon. Leaves have high amounts of carbon, so mixing the two in layers in a compost heap is the ideal mixture and will give rich compost quickly.
Alternatively, you could dig either or both directly into the soil. But by leaving it on top the worms do this for you and it will act as mulch.
Broken down leaves can be used as a thick mulch especially useful where you are growing acidic soil loving plants eg azaleas, camellias and heathers. Lawn clippings will make excellent mulch around all shrubs, plants and vegetables. A thick mulch of leaves or grass clippings will suppress weeds, retain water and provide nutrient rich soil for good plant growth. A mulch will also keeps moisture in during hot dry spells and add to the humus content for better soil which can resist dryer weather. Mulch will be taken down into the soil by worms and this also adds to good drainage with less work. It can also provide some cold weather protection if used to cover sensitive plants for the winter. eg dahlias which are not lifted.
So using leaves and grass clippings is an essential part of tidying up your garden in autumn, preparing it for winter and ensuring that spring growth gets all the food it needs.
So what‘s not to like ? – leaves and grass used now will :
clear the garden
make excellent compost
reduce the weeds
protect overwintered plants
be a free soil improver ( directly or as a compost)
will encourage worms to do the work
And you end up with
better, stronger and more beautiful plants.
