The annual leaf war has commenced with a vengeance this weekend. A bit of
rain combined with quite high winds over the last couple of days has seen
leaves building up in drifts all around the back of the house and blowing
into the kitchen. I try to clear them before they turn to mush but the big
leaves of the Tulip tree seem almost indestructible. On a positive note the
Billy Goat is completely on top of the job and chops them up well, with the
wet leaf bag 100% functional again thanks to the new zip slider I mentioned
a few weeks back.
I love it when a cheap fix really works well.
My second big compost bin will soon be full at this rate, just as well I
finished emptying the one I built three years ago, the slightly improved
version will be needed again after a couple more weeks like this one. I have
re used the mesh side panels from the old one but have replaced the front
with some of the old shed floor boards, sprayed with a bit of fence
treatment it looks quite smart. I look forward to having masses of
leafmould/compost again next year to condition the poor soil we have here.

Mike

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:00:12 -0000, "Muddymike"
wrote:

The annual leaf war has commenced with a vengeance this weekend. A bit of
rain combined with quite high winds over the last couple of days has seen
leaves building up in drifts all around the back of the house and blowing
into the kitchen. I try to clear them before they turn to mush but the big
leaves of the Tulip tree seem almost indestructible. On a positive note the
Billy Goat is completely on top of the job and chops them up well, with the
wet leaf bag 100% functional again thanks to the new zip slider I mentioned
a few weeks back.
I love it when a cheap fix really works well.
My second big compost bin will soon be full at this rate, just as well I
finished emptying the one I built three years ago, the slightly improved
version will be needed again after a couple more weeks like this one. I have
re used the mesh side panels from the old one but have replaced the front
with some of the old shed floor boards, sprayed with a bit of fence
treatment it looks quite smart. I look forward to having masses of
leafmould/compost again next year to condition the poor soil we have here.

Mike


I saw something recently that said collect them in black bin bags and
poke holes in with a fork, water and leave for 3 years.
--
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Ah fetch it yourself if you can't wait for delivery
http://www.freedeliveryuk.co.uk
Or get it delivered for free

In reply to Mogga ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:00:12 -0000, "Muddymike"
wrote:

The annual leaf war has commenced with a vengeance this weekend. A
bit of rain combined with quite high winds over the last couple of
days has seen leaves building up in drifts all around the back of
the house and blowing into the kitchen. I try to clear them before
they turn to mush but the big leaves of the Tulip tree seem almost
indestructible. On a positive note the Billy Goat is completely on
top of the job and chops them up well, with the wet leaf bag 100%
functional again thanks to the new zip slider I mentioned a few
weeks back.
I love it when a cheap fix really works well.
My second big compost bin will soon be full at this rate, just as
well I finished emptying the one I built three years ago, the
slightly improved version will be needed again after a couple more
weeks like this one. I have re used the mesh side panels from the
old one but have replaced the front with some of the old shed floor
boards, sprayed with a bit of fence treatment it looks quite smart.
I look forward to having masses of leafmould/compost again next year
to condition the poor soil we have here.

Mike


I saw something recently that said collect them in black bin bags and
poke holes in with a fork, water and leave for 3 years.

I tried that and I got a black mucky smelly mess in black bags.

What does work is the leaf vacuum which cuts them up finely, then just dump
them in a pile somewhere in the corner of the garden out of the wind, and
use as necessary.

It doesn't do a good job in the wet though, best to get them daily while
they're still dry and easy to "hoover" [1] up. Soul-destroying job on
Saturday, when I looked again on Sunday there were more on the road,
pavement, lawn etc than there were when I started :-)

[1] With apologies to Dyson.

"Uncle Marvo" wrote in message
...
In reply to Mogga ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:00:12 -0000, "Muddymike"
wrote:

On a positive note the Billy Goat is completely on
top of the job and chops them up well, with the wet leaf bag 100%
functional again thanks to the new zip slider I mentioned a few
weeks back.
I love it when a cheap fix really works well.

Mike


I saw something recently that said collect them in black bin bags and
poke holes in with a fork, water and leave for 3 years.

I tried that and I got a black mucky smelly mess in black bags.

What does work is the leaf vacuum which cuts them up finely, then just
dump them in a pile somewhere in the corner of the garden out of the wind,
and use as necessary.

It doesn't do a good job in the wet though, best to get them daily while
they're still dry and easy to "hoover" [1] up. Soul-destroying job on
Saturday, when I looked again on Sunday there were more on the road,
pavement, lawn etc than there were when I started :-)

[1] With apologies to Dyson.
That's the good thing about the Billy Goat. It sucks up everything wet or
dry, chops it up, and loads it into the bag. I find that when done wet the
leaves compact down more and compost better. It is better still if you have
a "wet leaf" bag for the machine, as the normal bag is not nice to handle
after its been filled with wet leaves.

Mike

"Uncle Marvo" wrote in message
...
What does work is the leaf vacuum which cuts them up finely, then just
dump
them in a pile somewhere in the corner of the garden out of the wind, and
use as necessary.

I've been out on the ride on mower every other day for the last two weeks.
Got a compost heap that's now 15 foot x 10 foot and 5 foot high :-(

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 29 Oct 2007 15:56:45 -0000, "Uncle Marvo"
wrote:

In reply to Mogga ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:00:12 -0000, "Muddymike"
wrote:

The annual leaf war has commenced with a vengeance this weekend. A
bit of rain combined with quite high winds over the last couple of
days has seen leaves building up in drifts all around the back of
the house and blowing into the kitchen. I try to clear them before
they turn to mush but the big leaves of the Tulip tree seem almost
indestructible. On a positive note the Billy Goat is completely on
top of the job and chops them up well, with the wet leaf bag 100%
functional again thanks to the new zip slider I mentioned a few
weeks back.
I love it when a cheap fix really works well.
My second big compost bin will soon be full at this rate, just as
well I finished emptying the one I built three years ago, the
slightly improved version will be needed again after a couple more
weeks like this one. I have re used the mesh side panels from the
old one but have replaced the front with some of the old shed floor
boards, sprayed with a bit of fence treatment it looks quite smart.
I look forward to having masses of leafmould/compost again next year
to condition the poor soil we have here.

Mike


I saw something recently that said collect them in black bin bags and
poke holes in with a fork, water and leave for 3 years.

I tried that and I got a black mucky smelly mess in black bags.

What does work is the leaf vacuum which cuts them up finely, then just
dump
them in a pile somewhere in the corner of the garden out of the wind, and
use as necessary.

It doesn't do a good job in the wet though, best to get them daily while
they're still dry and easy to "hoover" [1] up. Soul-destroying job on
Saturday, when I looked again on Sunday there were more on the road,
pavement, lawn etc than there were when I started :-)

Have you moved out of your narrowboat?
--
Never. But at weekends I'm Mandy, the contract gardener :-)