Using Leaves To Make Mulch And Compost
Making something useful from leaves that are gathered off your lawn is simple and doesn’t require much in the way of expenses or preparation. All you’ll need is some urea and a compost bin. Both of these items are usually available at garden centers or in department stores that have gardening departments.
In the fall, rake up all the leaves you want into a large pile. Make sure the leaves are dry, and shred them. This can be done with a lawnmower, wood chipper shredder or leaf shredder, but it’s harder to do if leaves are damp.
Your next step is to place the shredded leaves in your compost bin. Make a layer of leaves 12-18 inches deep, then add urea or glass clippings, if you still have any handy at that time of year. Top it all off with a small amount of water. Leaves should be damp, but not soaking wet.
Repeat these layers, 12-18 inches of leaves, then urea or grass clippings, and a bit of water, until the bin is full or you run out of leaves. Once the bin is full, cover is securely, either with the supplied lid or a plastic tarp, so that rain and snow can’t get in, and neither can small animals.
Just let it sit over the winter months; there’s nothing to do at this time. As the weather starts to warm up in the spring, it’s time to turn the mixture using a pitchfork. This allows the material to mix a bit and exposes the underside of the pile to the air. Now cover it up once again.
The mulch should be ready for use by the time it’s warm enough to start planting your garden. If you desire compost material rather than mulch, simply allow the material to compost in the bin for longer. The main difference between compost and mulch is the state of decomposition of the materials. Mulch is still in more of a solid state, while compost is more like nutrient-rich dirt. What you want for your gardening needs is a personal preference.
Making compost and mulch from fallen leaves is easy and can be an enjoyable way to fulfill your gardening needs.
In order to shred your leaves for mulch, why not run them through one of those wood chippers shredders that you can buy or rent. Not only will these machines break up the leaves, but you can throw in all those dead branches at the same time for some terrific mulch to keep your garden protected over the winter.