We’re right in the thick of it now with trees pretty much empty of leaf and the ground looking overrun, but is it really that bad. Before you get the leaf blower out let’s think about what benefits there are too having leaf coverage.
Put the leaves into your compost bin
As you sweep up why not pile the leaves and then pack down into your compost bin. They’ll decompose and leave you with a rich compost full of nutrients. Leaves are actually brown compost and should be mixed with grass shavings and veggie peel. If you can, then mixing it all up really helps.
Leaves as a cover up
If you’re running out of room in the compost bin, you can always use the leaves as a cover. Whilst the leaves aren’t hugely rich in nutrients, they can help keep in moisture and improve a tired patch of earth. The easiest way is to pile up the leaves and then wet them down – now cover with a tarpaulin and leave them to rot down.
Protecting the fragile plants
Winter can be tough on the smaller and sensitive plants. By using a layer of leaves , wetted down you can help to protect those plants and reduce weeds.
A home for wildlife
Instead of getting rid of the leaves completely, it may pay to keep a few scattered around the garden. They’re a haven for wildlife of all types. Worms will make a good job of popping up through the leaves and then taking bits back down with them which again improves the soil. Another you might try is chopping the leaves up with a lawnmower to mulch them up and leave them on the lawn.