5 Ways to Use Leaves in Your Yard

Leaves rot, mold and break down into compost, which is rich in organic nutrients to feed your yard. It’s also free. One of the best ways to create compost is to rake leaves into a pile and let it sit for a few months. Exposure to rain and other weather contributes to its breakdown and decay. Just be sure to position your leaf pile on the side of your yard and not on your lawn; the pile will kill the grass underneath since it blocks sunlight.

Another way to create compost from leaves is to place them in a compost bin. The lack of light and heat buildup speeds up the process of decomposition. You can also turn leaves with a rake or hoe to help decomposition along.

Autumn is usually the best month to start composting, so if you’ve been thinking about starting a compost bin, do it ahead of time so you’re ready when you have leaves.

Similar to compost, leaf mold is useful primarily as a kind of mulch. Unlike most compost, though, leaf mold is made by a cold process involving fungi, rather than a hot one involving bacteria.

The most efficient way is promote leaf mold is to shred the leaves with a leaf shredder or by mowing over them. Bag them up in sturdy garbage bags for a year or more. Many leaf blowers can vacuum leaves for shredding. Also, it helps to wet leaves before bagging. Once you’ve bagged leaves, poke a few holes in the bag for air flow.

Over time, the contents turn soft and crumbly. These small pieces settle and, while the bag won’t look full, it will be heavy with dense compost. To use, spread a layer up to 3 inches thick around perennials, vegetables and shrubs. Leaf mold is extra effective at retaining moisture, so while it aids in keeping ground temperature cool, it can invite disease if spread too close and thick around the base of plants.

Letting leaves pile up on your lawn invites mold and grass root decay, but that doesn’t mean that raking them away is the best solution. Provided that they don’t hide your lawn from the sun, leaves can be beneficial for grass. The trick is to break them down into parts small enough so that they don’t block the sun. To do this, set the lawn mower blade on a mulching lawn mower to its highest level and mow repeatedly over leaves until they’re broken down into bits too small to rake. Over time, the pieces settle into the soil, adding much-needed nutrients to your lawn during winter months. A mulching mower makes the job even easier.

Compost from fallen leaves benefit your garden and flower beds. Distribute raked leaves over your garden in a layer about 6 inches deep, then use a tiller to work them directly into the soil. Over winter, decomposition enriches your beds with nutrient-rich organic matter.

Leaves improve aeration in soil that has a heavy clay component. Likewise, they help sandy soil hold water and nutrients better. To increase the rate of decomposition, add fertilizer as you till the beds.

Finally, if you’re looking for a way to dress your house in fall colors, there’s no more appropriate material than autumn leaves. As you rake, put aside the best-shaped and most strikingly colored leaves. These can be arranged into vibrant wreaths, used in table settings for family get-togethers or become materials for children’s craft activities.