Loose Or Compacted Leaves.

[Bigmallly]

I currently have a 4ft x 3ft leaf cage. As I still have a load more to rake up, I decided to climb in the cage and have a walk around, not that I'm fat or anything but this has given me about a quarter of a cage to re-fill....................I don't know if I have done the right thing by compressing them or whether I should have left them open.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

If my method of thinking is correct, when I worked on a farm many years ago, when it came to "Silage" season, we used to trailer the grass in, tip it, then over run it with a tractor to compact it to get more in the "Silage Pit" same principle isn't it?

Don't think it will do any harm BM, as long as the desired outcome is they rot down!

[Root66]

I have always been under the impression that it's better to be compacted and so I've had something heavier onto to keep things compressed. I can't say whether it's necessary but it's easier for me to see how it's progressing and also if there is room for more leaves.

[Greenleaves]

I compact mine BM, no science behind it but bruised leaves seem to rot down quicker

[rary]

A very good question BM, I thought what Deono answered about silage being compacted was to get the air out of it to stop overheating and avoid decomposition and fire, but leaves decompose differently from other types of vegetation and don't require the air into them the same so compacting them would be ok, but I hope someone will give a definite answer

[burnie]

Silage is fermented is it not? I think leaf mould is a different thing, I'll consult me Geoff Hamilton books and get back to ya....................................

[Bigmallly]

Why is it that greens are not added to the leaves to help speed up the process?

[burnie]

Right Jeff says cut 'em up with a lawn mower, put 'em in a wire cage( they don't need heat like compost as it's fungi that breaks 'em down) then TREAD on them then leave for a year.

[burnie]

Jeff said you can add grass cuttings to speed things up, but be aware again, they are not composting, so different to making your compost in a closed warm bin. The bacteria that makes compost requires heat, the fungi that break down leaves does not it would seem.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Here endeth the lesson! And shall stand corrected!

A wonderful thing, Tinternet n Forums!

[DataMonkey]

I have a big tree overhanging my plot so I'm blessed with a small mountain of dead leaves.

Am I better off gathering them up than just digging them in where they fall ?

And what do they add anyway ?

[ESBkevin]

I tread mine to make maximum use of the cage. Toss in soil and pee as you go to start/feed the fungi and lay some old pallet slats on top with more soil to stop the top layer blowing about.
Mostly ready in one year apart from the outside edges in my experience. The centre/squashed bit breaks down best.

[Penellype]

I have a big tree overhanging my plot so I'm blessed with a small mountain of dead leaves.

Am I better off gathering them up than just digging them in where they fall ?

And what do they add anyway ?

They add organic matter to help aid water retention and so on. There isn't a lot of food value in leaf mould, but it is extremely good for the soil structure.

[Root66]

Gathering them up first and left for at least 1 year to become mulch. I believe that digging them straight into the ground actually is a bad thing, as the leaves actually take nitrogen from the soil.

I think they add some nutritional value, but more so, they help to condition the soil

I have a big tree overhanging my plot so I'm blessed with a small mountain of dead leaves.

Am I better off gathering them up than just digging them in where they fall ?

And what do they add anyway ?

[rary]

Here endeth the lesson! And shall stand corrected!

A wonderful thing, Tinternet n Forums!

only if they agree with me