How to make leaf mold from leaves
Don't throw away fallen leaves in your garden or in front of your door! You can easily recycle them into leaf mold or compost. You can easily make it yourself with our tips.
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Leaf mold, or leaf compost, is a natural protective and nutrient layer for your soil. Unlike a regular compost pile , where bacteria and worms break down the material, leaves are broken down by fungi. When sufficiently decomposed, leaves provide excellent nutrition and improve soil structure.
The leaves of deciduous trees are excellent for making leaf compost, but not all leaves decompose at the same rate. Thin leaves, such as those of birch, decompose faster than the thick, leathery leaves of chestnuts. The smooth leaves of evergreens and trees can take up to eighteen months to decompose! Conifer needles are also best avoided, as they break down very slowly.
Opinions are divided on oak leaf mold, as this leaf contains tannic acid. However, De Hessenhof Nursery has been using it for years with complete satisfaction. As long as the leaves are well-decomposed, it shouldn't cause any problems.
Want to make your own leaf mold? Here's how in 4 easy steps.
You can speed up the decomposition of tough leaves by first chopping them up. For example, by mowing over them with a lawnmower. Then let the fungi do their work, and next year you'll have the perfect leaf mold to mulch your borders or use in pots.
Rake up all the leaves and fill garbage bags with the (preferably damp) leaves. Black bags absorb the sun's heat, making the inside of the bag warm. This accelerates decomposition.
Poke holes in the filled bags with the teeth of a rake to keep the moisture inside the bag, but also to allow for some air circulation.
Tip!
Place the filled bags in a sheltered spot. Don't stack them on top of each other, as this reduces aeration and slows the rotting process. Depending on how quickly the rotting process progresses, you'll have leaf mold after one to three years that you can use in potting soil or as mulch.
When collecting leaves, definitely skip the leaf blower ! Not only are they extremely polluting (gasoline leaf blowers) and noisy, but they're also deadly to all sorts of beneficial insects . So grab a leaf rake to collect all the leaves from lawns and paths, and then call on nature for help.
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