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| How To Make Leafmould |
Making Leafmould is an age old tradition and an excellent alternative to leaf burning – which releases huge amounts of carbon and contributes to atmospheric pollution. Leaf mould is an ideal soil conditioner to improve poor or heavy soils, especially those based on clay subsoils.
All leaves will break down and compost eventually, however, for the best forms of leaf mould you would be best advised to use autumn leaves from deciduous trees such as oak, beech and hornbeam, which break down easily over a period of months producing an excellent end product. Thicker leaves and evergreens such as holly, sycamore, walnut, horse chestnut and laurel need to be shredded before being added to the leafmould pile. Conifer needles are some of the most tolerant and will take up to 3 years to decompose to useable mulch, so are best added to the compost pile instead of the leafmould pile. Pine needles can be collected in the spring, however, these will produce an acidic leafmould and as such will need to be kept quite separate from the other leaves, in order to provide a mulch in the future for Azaleas, Camellias, Pieris and Blueberries.
Leaves should be collected from your own garden or a public place (if this is appropriate and applicable by law). These leaves will be easier to collect if the weather is still and dry. Leaf boards (large plastic or plywood sheets with grab handles) may also be used to assist with the collection. Leaves on the grass can be used using a rotary mower which will shred the leaves inherently, increasing the rate of decomposition. These leaves should be placed into a bin liner and moistened if they are dry. Many people believe that urine is a good ingredient at this stage of the process, however, this is not advocated by all gardeners, perhaps it would be an idea to trial this yourself! The bag will also require air holes to be pierced into it using a knife. Tie the top loosely and place in a stack, out of sight in the garden for up to two years.
Equally, you may choose to create a leaf bin, similar to a compost bin, but crafted out of four wooden posts on the corners of a square, then wrapped in chicken wire to contain the leaves and prevent them from blowing away. This should be in a sheltered area of the garden and as large as possible to hasten the decay. After around 2 years, you will have delightfully enriching leafmould compost to use both in the garden, or if it is particularly fine, in the greenhouse as well. Beware however, that some leaf moulds will include a great deal of weed seeds and thus create havoc in a small area of your garden if used inappropriately. Good luck with your endeavors and happy mould making!
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| Latest Organic Vegetables Gardening Articles |
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Organic Leaf Compost
January 27, 2010
Use old leafy garden debris to make a great organic comnpost. It is very easy to make a leaf composting system, all you do is stake out four 2" by 2" posts around 5 feet high in the ground to create a square shape - then wrap chicken wire around it - the ideal height of a le |
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