Leaf Mould
Love your Leaves
Every autumn we are faced with the problem of disposing of all those leaves falling from trees and bushes onto our pavements, gardens and driveways. But instead of wasting them or overfilling the compost bin you can turn them into something really useful - leaf mould.
Leaf mould is a dark brown, pleasant smelling, crumbly material that makes an excellent soil improver, lawn conditioner and mulch. It can also be used in seed and potting mixes.
Making leaf mould is easy. Simply fill some plastic sacks with damp leaves, pierce a few times to let in some air and leave to mature. For larger quantities use some posts and mesh to make a container - you can vary the size and shape according to the amount of leaves you have.
Top Tips
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Before adding the leaves to a sack or heap make sure that they are damp, water them if necessary.
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Chopped leaves will breakdown quicker - some leaf vacs will shred them or you can run over them with a rotary mower
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To speed up decomposition, if you have a lawn, add some grass cuttings - up to 25% of the total bulk.
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You can add small amounts of leaves to your compost bin - but too many at one time will slow things down.
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Be patient - leaves breakdown by fungal action - this is a slower process than the bacterial breakdown that occurs in composting. Leave your sacks or leaf mould heap for a year. After this time, the leaves will have rotted down sufficiently to be used as a soil conditioner or spread as a mulch.
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For a very fine leaf mould that can be used as a potting compost leave your bags or pile for two years. The leaf mould makes a fantastic potting material when mixed with compost from your compost bin!
Which leaves should I use?
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All fallen leaves from deciduous trees can be used.
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Sycamore, Sweet Chestnut, Conifer and evergreen leaves take longer to rot down and are best shredded prior to being added.
- Pine needles take a long time but the resulting acidic mould can be used for acid-loving plants.
- Horse Chestnut leaves are currently being affected by a leaf miners disease which means they should be leaf moulded in separate bags.
If you would like more information on Leaf Mould, Home Composting or Waste Minimisation email: surrey.waste@sita.co.uk or call 01306 748300
