When money feels tight, it helps to remember that some things in life really are free: Love. Family. Nature. And the falling autumn leaves that can help you so much in the garden.
“By collecting leaves, you can have mulch, insulation and fertilizer just for the price of raking them up,” said Michael Jesiolowski, manager of the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. “It will pay off all through the winter. And if you invest in collecting leaves every year, it will provide dividends well into the future.”
Nature never wastes a leaf. The leaves and dead stalks that fall to the ground every autumn are what make soil all over the world. As they are gradually consumed by fungi, bacteria and other organisms in the soil, leaves and stalks turn into the humus that nurtures plants’ roots. Their decay releases nutrients that plants need — the same nutrients you pay for when you buy fertilizer. Slowly, leaves make the soil a better home for plants’ roots. You can use them to do the same in your yard.
Leaves are also nature’s insulation. In the woods, there is always a layer of leaves on the ground that protects plants’ roots from extremes of hot and cold. It also holds in moisture and shelters seeds that will sprout and bloom in spring. A layer of leaves in your garden can do the same thing.
Here are some tips from the Plant Clinic for getting the most out of autumn leaves.
Use leaves for mulch: Simply rake them onto perennial beds or around trees and shrubs, or spread them on vegetable gardens or raised beds. By spring, the leaves will have partly broken down and mostly disappeared, but that’s because soil organisms consume them to improve your soil.
Rake most leaves off the lawn: A few leaves won’t hurt, but a mat of leaves left on the turf will block the sunlight that grass plants need. It also may trap moisture and encourage disease.
Shred them if you like: Shredded leaves look tidier when used as mulch and won’t blow around as much. They also break down faster on the lawn or in a compost pile. To shred leaves, pile them on the lawn and run your lawn mower over them a couple of times, then rake most of them up to use elsewhere. “Don’t clean up every last shred,” Jesiolowski said. “Rake some shredded leaves out across the lawn, and they’ll break down to improve the soil for your grass plants.”
Make compost: Dried leaves are a major ingredient in any successful compost pile, providing a free source of carbon-rich plant matter. Mix them up with end-of-season annuals, weeds, and selected vegetable and fruit scraps from the kitchen (even a broken-up Halloween pumpkin). After a few months, you will have a versatile and powerful soil amendment. Learn more at mortonarb.org/composting.
Insulate: You can extend the fall harvest of some vegetables by using a layer of leaves to protect them against autumn freezes and winter cold. Leaves can insulate late crops, such as cabbage or spinach, when an overnight frost is predicted. If you pile leaves over the beds of root vegetables such as carrots and beets, the soil will freeze more slowly, giving you more time to dig up your crop.
Improve soil structure: Adding organic matter to your soil, such as compost or even just shredded leaves, will make it better for plants over time. More organic matter can make clay soil less dense and help sandy soil hold water. Dig a lot of compost or leaves into the top few inches of soil in a new bed. In established beds or around trees and shrubs, spread leaves or any organic matter on top of the soil.
Save leaves for next year: Stash away leaves so you can add them to the compost bin all year long, or for mulch after planting next spring. Stow them in an out-of-the-way corner or in a spare compost bin. Shredded leaves will take up much less space than whole leaves.
For tree and plant advice, contact the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum (630-719-2424, mortonarb.org/plant-clinic, or [email protected] More Top Picks Best Laptop Docking Station