Shredded leaves - Instructions please

[Edwardo82]

Dear all,

I have collected 2 large hippo bags full of shredded leaves.

I have read that covering up your dormant veg beds with this to over winter is advantageous. Can anyone advise me further.

The bed's I have selected won't have a lot going on over the winter and I was going to leave them on the surface until about February time then dig some manure in with the leaves, as that particular bed has heavy soil.

I am not sure if what I am doing is correct and therefore would appreciated some advice from the Vines please

I have used some of the leaves to cover my asparagus bed for the winter, is this advisable? I wont be digging them in during the beginning of next year but will rake them carefully and use them else where, simply using them to protect the crowns over the winter.

I look forward to receiving your kind advice.

Many Thanks in advance

[Two_Sheds]

Leaves left on the soil will eventually be pulled down by earthworms.

Most people don't like the untidiness, so will rot the (wet) leaves down in black bags for a year. After 12-18 months the leaves become lovely crumbly black stuff, which you use as a mulch, or to mix with potting compost.

[rustylady]

If you're using them to mulch your beds that's fine, but if you don't wet them they may end up blowing all over the place

[Bigmallly]

Ooooooooops, mine have gone in the compost bin.

[rustylady]

Ooooooooops, mine have gone in the compost bin.

That's fine Mally. Just some of us do bags of just leafmould - it smells lovely when it's done.

[Bigmallly]

Ok Rusty, I may give it a go, my problem is that I can be somewhat impatient.

[Two_Sheds]

Ooooooooops, mine have gone in the compost bin.

They will slow your compost heap right down. That's why most folk do leaves separately.

[Bigmallly]

Cheers TS, I will bear that in mind as I still have loads to collect.

[Bigmallly]

They will slow your compost heap right down. That's why most folk do leaves separately.

Even if they are shredded through a vac?

[Two_Sheds]

Shredded would be better. Mix them with grass clippings too to speed the decomp process up.

[gojiberry]

After last years collection I have ended up with 12 large bags of leaf mould, still not sure when or where to use it yet. Have started to collect this years but am tending to use them direct around the shrub roses.

Ian

[Bigmallly]

Have started to collect this years but am tending to use them direct around the shrub roses.

Ian

Why not use last years around the shrub roses or have I mis-understood.

[organic]

I've got 3 very tightly packed black bin bags of shredded leaves (I used a garden vac that does a great job at compacting the leaves) and the fall is still a long way from finished. I'll be putting them on my plot in the bags and keeping them moist. Once I've had a chance to get the bits together I'll be putting them into a chicken-wire cage to rot down.


Actually...
Does anyone know how bin bags and leaf cages compare with the speed of rotting and the quality of the resulting leafmold?

[sauzee]

We get tons and tons of leaves brought into the allotments by the council with their road sweepers.I used it last year as weed suppression as i had just dug and removed all the weeds and couch grass on my new plot.As soon as the warm weather came i dug it in and low and behold 10 times more weeds and docking than i had before.It must have been full of seed because it was so fresh so to save any extra work i would use your older stuff and bag the rest for next year