Watering leaf mould

[rary]

I had 5 bags leaves so this morning I decided to spread them over the grass to allow them to dry out before going over them with the lawnmower, now that I have done that I have put them into a plastic container, there is some grass with them but not a lot, so do I add water to them now or wait a bit for any grass to die? off

[burnie]

Why have you put the leaves in a plastic container, does it have plenty of air flow rary?

[roitelet]

They are better in a chicken wire cage. I leave them uncovered during the summer so that they get the rain and then cover them in the Autumn so they don’t get too soggy. They take a long time to decompose and I don’t use mine until they are two years old and have turned into black gold!

[rary]

burnie they are in a plastic controversially because its all I have to hold them I will need to wait to get some decent bags or fine chicken wire and the reason for shredding them is that I want them quicker than the two years that roitelet was talking about

[burnie]

That's fine rary, just asking, we can't just pop down the shops just now, I would keep them dry in your plastic container until you can get something to let the air at them.

[ameno]

You can make perfectly good leaf mould in a plastic bag. Just make a few holes in the bag with a fork or something, keep the leaves just damp, but not wet enough that they mat together too much.

[rary]

That last post of mine should read, they are in a plastic container, who would want to be contraversially keeping them sorry about that I had them in poly bags but the type I had were just tearing when ever I touched them so decided to shred the leaves to see if, as said they will compost quicker, also as said once we can get out I will get better quality bags or wire

[nickdub]

I know it probably is no help with the current set-up, but just for a general info I find a 1 ton builder's bag is pretty good for making leaf mould. I drag one around the garden in the autumn get it at least half full of leaves put it by the hedge in a corner out of the way fill it a bit more if I remember and then leave it be. It makes usable leaf mould in 1 year and good stuff for mixing with potting compost in 2 - much easier than using a wheelbarrow and some of the builder's bags have lasted almost 20 years now.