"mmarteen" wrote in message ...


Leaf mold has a low nutrient content. It depends on what you want to
do. Leaves, in my mind, are good for three things:

1) start seedlings (I also use sifted, months-old manure, as well as
regular potting soil) in leaf mold

2) mulch around veggies (whole leaves) for moisture retention and


I would like it for this.

3) soil conditioning, specially for heavy clay (they will encourage
soil breakdown by worms) (also whole leaves are best)

but probably primarily this since we are building on an infill lot that has
been sodded for 5 years. I am sure the soil will need improvement. As soon
as we lose some of the snow cover, i will be collecting samples to test, but
I am trying to budget my gardening needs and making a landscape plan and I
need to make sure I have adequate space for compost piles and leaf mold
piles, if needed. I am not sure I will be able to generate enough compost to
improve the whole property so leaf mold would be great too, particularly in
the shady front yard. I will find out about community sources of compost
once I get going.


If you want to fertilize, you are better off getting something else
(grass clippings, kitchen scraps, any manure, even wood chips).



There are also other ways to fasten leaves decay. Amongst those,
mixing them with grass clippings or urea. But what is the point of
doing that, if you are going to use them as mulch? Let us know what
you want to do.

As a soil nutrient primarily.

Leaves do break down within the season, and while they will contribute
small amounts of nitrogen absorbed from the atmosphere during decay,
as well as humic acids that help make available whatever nutrients may
be in the soil, in general the mother tree withdraws most nutrients
from leaves in the fall. That is why I use the words "conditioner" and
"mulch" but not "fertilizer". If you find after tests that your soil
is poor, leaves will not help much. Coleman has a acid, clay soil and
leaves help break it and probably help moderate the pH (though I am
sure he limes as well).

So if you want them for mulch, you can store them wherever you have
space, without chopping, turning, or any other labor intensive
treatment. In May, I usually lay them on the bed, and I use an old
steel tent spike to punch a hole through them for the seedling. Nature
will take care of the rest and next year you will have to add new
leaves. If you do this continuously weeds will nearly disappear. Not
only you can save the work of chopping them, I guarantee that as mulch
they are better whole. And they are going to break down regardless
during the season, so why bother?