I'm blessed 10 months of the year with a garden surrounded by lots of very large, lovely trees. However, for 2 months of the year I'm deluged with immense quantities of leaves that are dutifully collected and eventually turned into huge mounds of leaf mould - lovely stuff.

My query relates to the leaves that fall into the beds and borders (predominantly perennials and shrubs) and form a very nice snug environment, much like mulching. Clearly, the leaf cover will protect emerging shoots from frost, provide a habitat for beneficial insects and toads, plus the mulching effect won't do any harm. However this snug environment must also be great for slugs and snails - of which we get plenty!

Does anyone have a definitive answer to whether it is better to leave fallen leaves in the borders or to clear them all out? The lawns are always kept reasonably clear to give the grass a fighting chance.

Many thanks

"JohnWarden" wrote in message ...


I'm blessed 10 months of the year with a garden surrounded by lots of
very large, lovely trees. However, for 2 months of the year I'm deluged
with immense quantities of leaves that are dutifully collected and
eventually turned into huge mounds of leaf mould - lovely stuff.

My query relates to the leaves that fall into the beds and borders
(predominantly perennials and shrubs) and form a very nice snug
environment, much like mulching. Clearly, the leaf cover will protect
emerging shoots from frost, provide a habitat for beneficial insects and
toads, plus the mulching effect won't do any harm. However this snug
environment must also be great for slugs and snails - of which we get
plenty!

Does anyone have a definitive answer to whether it is better to leave
fallen leaves in the borders or to clear them all out? The lawns are
always kept reasonably clear to give the grass a fighting chance.

Many thanks




--
JohnWarden
.................................................. ............

John, what happens in nature?

There's your answer.

Mike
---------------------------------------------------------------
www.hmscollingwoodassociation.com
www.rneba.org.uk

In article , JohnWarden.d261758
@gardenbanter.co.uk says...

I'm blessed 10 months of the year with a garden surrounded by lots of
very large, lovely trees. However, for 2 months of the year I'm deluged
with immense quantities of leaves that are dutifully collected and
eventually turned into huge mounds of leaf mould - lovely stuff.

My query relates to the leaves that fall into the beds and borders
(predominantly perennials and shrubs) and form a very nice snug
environment, much like mulching. Clearly, the leaf cover will protect
emerging shoots from frost, provide a habitat for beneficial insects and
toads, plus the mulching effect won't do any harm. However this snug
environment must also be great for slugs and snails - of which we get
plenty!

Does anyone have a definitive answer to whether it is better to leave
fallen leaves in the borders or to clear them all out?

I leave them on. Mulches are the favourite restaurant for blackbirds
and thrushes and other birds ; they spend hours scratching around in it
hunting for creatures that feed on decaying vegetation.

I apply very heavy mulches every year but very rarely see slugs and
snails in the beds... or any plant damage from them.

Janet.

On 17/12/2013 12:05, JohnWarden wrote:
I'm blessed 10 months of the year with a garden surrounded by lots of
very large, lovely trees. However, for 2 months of the year I'm deluged
with immense quantities of leaves that are dutifully collected and
eventually turned into huge mounds of leaf mould - lovely stuff.

My query relates to the leaves that fall into the beds and borders
(predominantly perennials and shrubs) and form a very nice snug
environment, much like mulching. Clearly, the leaf cover will protect
emerging shoots from frost, provide a habitat for beneficial insects and
toads, plus the mulching effect won't do any harm. However this snug
environment must also be great for slugs and snails - of which we get
plenty!

Does anyone have a definitive answer to whether it is better to leave
fallen leaves in the borders or to clear them all out? The lawns are
always kept reasonably clear to give the grass a fighting chance.

It depends. A cover of leaves around rose bushes is going to be
beneficial - it adds nutrients to the soil and improves the soil structure.

However, if you intended to have annuals reseed in a border a covering
of leaves could present seedlings establishing.

And, in Britain what can see off otherwise hardy perennials is the
combination of low light levels and wet soil/surface conditions. A
covering of leaves could exacerbate this. (I wouldn't care to leave
leaves around a, for example, drumstick Primula.)


Many thanks



--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

"JohnWarden" wrote


I'm blessed 10 months of the year with a garden surrounded by lots of
very large, lovely trees. However, for 2 months of the year I'm deluged
with immense quantities of leaves that are dutifully collected and
eventually turned into huge mounds of leaf mould - lovely stuff.

My query relates to the leaves that fall into the beds and borders
(predominantly perennials and shrubs) and form a very nice snug
environment, much like mulching. Clearly, the leaf cover will protect
emerging shoots from frost, provide a habitat for beneficial insects and
toads, plus the mulching effect won't do any harm. However this snug
environment must also be great for slugs and snails - of which we get
plenty!

Does anyone have a definitive answer to whether it is better to leave
fallen leaves in the borders or to clear them all out? The lawns are
always kept reasonably clear to give the grass a fighting chance.


I was sent this by a friend and think it fits the bill to some extent.....
:-)

GOD to St Francis:

Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on
down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets,
milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance
garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and
multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts
butterflies, honey bees and flocks of birds. I expected to see a vast garden
of colours by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles.

St. FRANCIS:
It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started
calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and
replace them with grass.

GOD:
Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colourful. It doesn't attract
butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and worms. It's sensitive to
temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing
there?

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green.
They begin each spring by fertilizing the grass and poisoning any other
plant that crops up in the lawn.

GOD:
The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That
must make the Suburbanites happy.

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimes
twice a week.

GOD:
They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?


ST. FRANCIS:
Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

GOD:
They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

ST. FRANCIS:
No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

GOD:
Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And,
when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

ST. FRANCIS:
Yes, Sir.

GOD:
These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the
rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot
of work.

ST. FRANCIS:
You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so
fast, they lay out hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can
continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

GOD:
What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke
of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to
provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the
ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect
the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life.

ST. FRANCIS:
You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn up a new game. As
soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have
them taken away.

GOD:
No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and
to keep the soil moist and loose?

ST. FRANCIS:
After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they
call mulch. They carry it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.

GOD:
And where do they get this mulch?

ST. FRANCIS:
They cut down the trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

GOD:
Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in
charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?

ST. CATHERINE:
'Dumb and Dumber', Lord. It's a story about....

GOD:
Never mind, I think I just heard the whole thing from St. Francis.


--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message ...

"JohnWarden" wrote


I'm blessed 10 months of the year with a garden surrounded by lots of
very large, lovely trees. However, for 2 months of the year I'm deluged
with immense quantities of leaves that are dutifully collected and
eventually turned into huge mounds of leaf mould - lovely stuff.

My query relates to the leaves that fall into the beds and borders
(predominantly perennials and shrubs) and form a very nice snug
environment, much like mulching. Clearly, the leaf cover will protect
emerging shoots from frost, provide a habitat for beneficial insects and
toads, plus the mulching effect won't do any harm. However this snug
environment must also be great for slugs and snails - of which we get
plenty!

Does anyone have a definitive answer to whether it is better to leave
fallen leaves in the borders or to clear them all out? The lawns are
always kept reasonably clear to give the grass a fighting chance.


I was sent this by a friend and think it fits the bill to some extent.....
:-)

GOD to St Francis:

Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on
down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets,
milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance
garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and
multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts
butterflies, honey bees and flocks of birds. I expected to see a vast garden
of colours by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles.

St. FRANCIS:
It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started
calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and
replace them with grass.

GOD:
Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colourful. It doesn't attract
butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and worms. It's sensitive to
temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing
there?

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green.
They begin each spring by fertilizing the grass and poisoning any other
plant that crops up in the lawn.

GOD:
The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That
must make the Suburbanites happy.

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimes
twice a week.

GOD:
They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?


ST. FRANCIS:
Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

GOD:
They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

ST. FRANCIS:
No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

GOD:
Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And,
when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

ST. FRANCIS:
Yes, Sir.

GOD:
These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the
rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot
of work.

ST. FRANCIS:
You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so
fast, they lay out hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can
continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

GOD:
What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke
of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to
provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the
ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect
the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life.

ST. FRANCIS:
You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn up a new game. As
soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have
them taken away.

GOD:
No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and
to keep the soil moist and loose?

ST. FRANCIS:
After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they
call mulch. They carry it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.

GOD:
And where do they get this mulch?

ST. FRANCIS:
They cut down the trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

GOD:
Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in
charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?

ST. CATHERINE:
'Dumb and Dumber', Lord. It's a story about....

GOD:
Never mind, I think I just heard the whole thing from St. Francis.


--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK
=================================


Like I said in my posting Bob, what does Nature do?


Mike



---------------------------------------------------------------
www.hmscollingwoodassociation.com
www.rneba.org.uk

On Tuesday, December 17, 2013 10:01:10 PM UTC, Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote:
On 17/12/2013 12:05, JohnWarden wrote:

I'm blessed 10 months of the year with a garden surrounded by lots of

very large, lovely trees. However, for 2 months of the year I'm deluged

with immense quantities of leaves that are dutifully collected and

eventually turned into huge mounds of leaf mould - lovely stuff.



My query relates to the leaves that fall into the beds and borders

(predominantly perennials and shrubs) and form a very nice snug

environment, much like mulching. Clearly, the leaf cover will protect

emerging shoots from frost, provide a habitat for beneficial insects and

toads, plus the mulching effect won't do any harm. However this snug

environment must also be great for slugs and snails - of which we get

plenty!



Does anyone have a definitive answer to whether it is better to leave

fallen leaves in the borders or to clear them all out? The lawns are

always kept reasonably clear to give the grass a fighting chance.



It depends. A cover of leaves around rose bushes is going to be

beneficial - it adds nutrients to the soil and improves the soil structure.



However, if you intended to have annuals reseed in a border a covering

of leaves could present seedlings establishing.



And, in Britain what can see off otherwise hardy perennials is the

combination of low light levels and wet soil/surface conditions. A

covering of leaves could exacerbate this. (I wouldn't care to leave

leaves around a, for example, drumstick Primula.)





Many thanks







--

Stewart Robert Hinsley

OTH I have a rather dry bed behind my workshop with reasonable light but under large conifers - spruces, firs etc remains of an abandoned Christmas tree plantation decades ago. It's been difficult to get anything much going there but I did plant a couple of Cyclamen hederifolium corms about 4 years ago and now there's a great swath of seedlings (many 100s) along the edge of the path growing through a thick layer of conifer needles.
In my former work garden I had a border where cyclamen were naturalising under a large oak under a mulch of leaves. Now when I retired the 'tidy police' got in there and scraped of the leaves and all but the biggest cyclamen corms and now 7yrs later they have all gone. Same with candelabra prims and many other plants in the same border. So I am always careful about removing leaves, only doing it if something is obviously suffering and then looking carefully for desirable self sown plants.

Rod

On 18/12/2013 18:31, Rod wrote:
On Tuesday, December 17, 2013 10:01:10 PM UTC, Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote:
On 17/12/2013 12:05, JohnWarden wrote:

I'm blessed 10 months of the year with a garden surrounded by lots of

very large, lovely trees. However, for 2 months of the year I'm deluged

with immense quantities of leaves that are dutifully collected and

eventually turned into huge mounds of leaf mould - lovely stuff.



My query relates to the leaves that fall into the beds and borders

(predominantly perennials and shrubs) and form a very nice snug

environment, much like mulching. Clearly, the leaf cover will protect

emerging shoots from frost, provide a habitat for beneficial insects and

toads, plus the mulching effect won't do any harm. However this snug

environment must also be great for slugs and snails - of which we get

plenty!



Does anyone have a definitive answer to whether it is better to leave

fallen leaves in the borders or to clear them all out? The lawns are

always kept reasonably clear to give the grass a fighting chance.



OTH I have a rather dry bed behind my workshop with reasonable light but under large conifers - spruces, firs etc remains of an abandoned
Christmas tree plantation decades ago. It's been difficult to get
anything much going there but I did plant a couple of Cyclamen
hederifolium corms
about 4 years ago and now there's a great swath of seedlings (many
100s) along the edge of the path growing through a thick layer of
conifer needles.
In my former work garden I had a border where cyclamen were naturalising under a large oak under a mulch of leaves.
Now when I retired the 'tidy police' got in there and scraped of the
leaves and all but the biggest cyclamen corms and now 7yrs later they
have all gone.
Same with candelabra prims and many other plants in the same border. So
I am always careful about removing leaves, only doing it if something is
obviously suffering and then looking carefully for desirable self sown
plants.

Rod


I remember some years ago at Dyffryn gardens they had fuchsias growing
in beds edged with box hedges about 15 inches tall around them.
In the Autumn the cut the fuchsias back hard then filled the beds with
leaves.
This provided insulation through the winter and then in the spring as
the leaves had rotted down a mulch for the fuchsias,
It worked.
David @ a very wet side of Swansea Bay

Thanks Bob, great reply and sadly so very true in so many ways!

John

Thanks Stewart, you make a very valid point, I have quite a few perennials that don't like sitting in damp conditions all winter long. May have to selectively clear them and leave the rest.

Thanks again....
John