start collecting those leaves folks!

[Nicos]

Just spent this morning collecting the first leaves of the Autumn.
I never seem to collect enough though as they rot down fantastically.
Tis free....get collecting!!!!

[ginger ninger]

Yes, They seem to be dropping early this year or is it just me that thinks this?

[bluemoon]

Certainly earlier than in recent years, though I think I've said elsewhere, later than they used to back in the Stone Age when I was a kid. A week ago there was little sign of Autumn except that there seem to be tons of haws and Rowan berries, their trees are red at a distance, even though the leaves are still green, but now there's definitely a sign of leaf fall. My mum always thinks that large numbers of berries is a sure sign of an approaching bad winter, as if nature knows that extra food will be needed by wildlife.

[StephenH]

I was thinking the other day that they were starting to fall early, too.
I'm making a leafmould container this very afternoon.

[womble]

I think they are dropping earlier, but then I think that every year. I also think summers aren't what they used to be when I was a kid and winters aren't half as much fun, as there is hardly any snow.

Also there are too many celebs in the world, too much money, not enough respect, etc etc.............. but I digress

[Two_Sheds]

I'm going to wait until November.
I spent days and days collecting dry leaves, then watering & packing them down.

If I wait until November, they are a bit soggy, and partly decomposed already ... half the job done for me.

[Herbie]

When walking the dog today, I noticed a lot of the leaves are dried and brown on the trees. Started the leaf mould bin at the lottie in the week but hoping to get it finished soon, so will start collecting then. I'm sure the leaves are falling earlier or is it just that the weather is making us think its still summer! Today we have had wall to wall sunshine.

[solway cropper]

Not much leaf drop up here yet although they are starting to turn. The weather in September has been great which might mean the trees are taking advantage and storing up nutrients for next year. It has certainly meant that my late planted crops have been able to get off to a good start. I only wish I'd put more in but you can never be sure what the weather might do. Don't know where I'm going to put all the leaves when the do fall as both daleks are full and the heap in the corner is beginning to look like a haystack!!

[poly]

I usually use a wire mesh cage for the leaves. But yesterday with the 2 big bags I collected, I mixed them with mostly grass cuttings and a bit of chopped straw and started a new compost bin with the mixture.

[gojiberry]

Will be starting to collect this week. I have to empty last years out of the bin first. Looking at how much it has rotted down I am left with about 200lt (3 compost bags full), which started out filling a 6' cube.

Ian

[Lovage]

I agree they seem to be falling early but dried up and brown through lack of rain not yellow and falling as usual in autumn. Wonder if this has any effect on the tree?
usually they withdraw some of the nutrients from the leaves before they turn colour.

Anyway I'll be collecting loads -I just rake or blow them off the beds onto to lawn and collect with the lawnmower. This chops, compacts and mixes in a bit of grass = faster decomposition to leafmould

[HeyWayne]

Only a few leaves so far - but my lawn is covered in sticky bladdy acorns!!

Tried leaving (I'm sure there's a pun there somewhere..) the leaves until they'd all pretty much fallen and gathered them in one go. Trouble with that was that I was left with a boggy, dank and 'orrible mess where my lawn used to be.

Because the leaves are mainly from an oak tree they take an absolute age to break down, so I'm considering a leaf blower/sucker that mulches them up at the same time.

[Beanie]

Because the leaves are mainly from an oak tree they take an absolute age to break down, so I'm considering a leaf blower/sucker that mulches them up at the same time.

Try running them over several times with a lawnmower - that'll chop them up & saves you buying a leaf blower. Unless you want a new 'toy', of course!

[rustylady]

Round here it's been so dry we've had the odd few falling leaves most of the summer, but now they're coming down with a vengeance. No sign of the usual coloration though, they're just brown and crispy

[Dynamo]

I'm not going to bother getting leaves. I'm not far from the seaside so I'd much rather fill my compost bins with seaweed. Thats always in abundance at any time of the year.