Did You Know:
Leaf mulching is a free and easy way to create compost for flower beds and planters.
- It’s a cheap and easy way to get nutrients, organic minerals into the soil and it reduces water loss in soil.
- Raised beds lose more water than plants in the ground, so the leaves retain any moisture.
- They can prevent weeds from coming up and also work as a protection from frost in the winter.
- It’s a simple process of gathering the leaves in a pile in the garden or cordoned off area using chicken wire.
- Layer the base with compostable cardboard, then layer the leaves on it. But you have to toss them to get oxygen in there, otherwise you can get an anaerobic environment, which means there’s not enough oxygen. Otherwise the leaves become slimy and cause mould or breathe small diseases in the soil.
- Tearing up the leaves or cutting them is better for the compost system, they break down faster.
- In some places it’s better to leave leaves on the ground. They provide shelter, food for bugs in the winter months, but they also serve food for birds.
- So in some places like footpaths or anywhere that has foot traffic, it’s best to take leaves from there.
- You know things are working when bugs appear in the pile.
- During the tossing process keep an eye out for bugs like worms or beetles.
What You Can Do:
- Create your own leaf mulching pile.
- Join Ballyphehane Tidy Towns or attend a workshop for tips and tricks.
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