Can I overdo it with leaves?

[HeyWayne]

I've a "bin" with two years' worth of collected leaves from my garden. The bottom of which is probably all nice and mulchy now.

I recently collected another 6 big black bags full of leaves from the garden with a view to adding them to the pile (or at least leaving them in the bags to mulch down).

However, I know that the majority if the leaves are oak, and that oak leaves take a long time to break down, and I have a niggling that it also does something else to the soil - acidity or something.

Should I just dig them in and have done with it, or do I need to use caution and just use them as a mulch?

[Flummery]

I'd rot them down for a year or two. They are full of tannin but I think you'd have to add a huge load of leaf mould to make much difference to your soil acidity.

[HeyWayne]

They are full of tannin but I think you'd have to add a huge load to make much difference

We are still talking leaves here ain't we ma?

[Flummery]

Well, I was! And not just tea leaves!

[Two_Sheds]

It's always better to mulch than to dig in, imo, even when it's well-rotted. Apply to warm damp soil and it will hold moisture in.
(and the worms prefer to pull down their own food, rather than having it dug in)

leafmould is really good as potting compost: you could mix it in with your multi-purpose

[HeyWayne]

leafmould is really good as potting compost: you could mix it in with your multi-purpose

Brilliant! I'll keep a bag somewhere at home for when I'm potting (can't do it on the plot).

Cheers girls!

[Two_Sheds]

Glad to help, and thanks for the thanks

[HeyWayne]

Glad to help, and thanks for the thanks

That's ok, thanks for acknowledging the thanks.

ps, I even did a search too - but couldn't find my answer.

[jackie j]

I rake up the leaves that fall on and around my plot, I am now on my fourth bag. The first year I added them to the compost bin, big mistake. I now just keep the bags till I think its rotted enough so a bit longer yet.

[sewer rat]

At the estate garden I look after on Mondays, I have two huge leaf mould bins - these are emptied on a yearly basis. They too have a lot of oak leaves but I think the size of the bins and the mass of the leaves must speed up the rotting process as I spread some of last years mould today on the new "cuttings" bed and it was lovely and crumbly.
I would also agree that it is best spread as a mulch and left for the worms and bugs to work it into the soil.