The craziness of leaf mould.

[shovetheholly]

Yesterday, I gathered up the sycamore and ash leaves that fall from trees down my road to make leaf mould.

As I was sweeping them up, I realised that I had created something of a scene. People were looking on with concern in their eyes. My neighbour came to check that I was OK.

'Can I have the leaves in your garden?' I said.

'You want.... my leaves?'
'Yes' I said. 'For my garden, to make leaf mould!'
'You want... the LEAVES? THESE leaves??'
'Yep. I'll sweep it for you'.
'Are you OK?'
'Yes, honestly, I'm fine - they're really good for the garden.'
'Oooooo, kaaaaaaaaay?' he says and wandered off, shaking his head.

The lady opposite, walking her dog came and clucked over me for being 'a good citizen' and then tentatively suggested that the council would be along with their road sweeper to 'tidy up' and that I really 'didn't need to do it for everyone'. 'Oh, it's OK, I said, I WANT the leaves'. And she too began to back off gently.

Now I know that all the seasoned gardeners on this thread will know exactly what I was up to, but these exchanges make me think that making leaf mould is not generally something people know about. So I thought I'd make a thread about how to do it, because it's so easy and it gives you bagloads of totally FREE compost!

So here's what you do, for those who've never done it before:

1. Sweep up deciduous leaves - the best ones are the less leathery leaves like ash. (Ignore looks from neighbours)
2. Put them in a bag - a cheap bin bag is fine
3. Prong some holes in it with a fork
4. Let them get really wet, then seal it up
5. Leave for a year. Check occasionally to make sure it's not getting too dry.
6. Open next autumn and enjoy heaps of the richest, darkest, best 'compost' that money can't buy.

It really is that simple. Takes minutes, saves £££.

The chicken wire leaf bin on the RHS website is no good as it is impossible for all but the agile to get the leaf mould out. It is important to think through how the compost is going to be turned ad how you are going to get it out when ready

It needs watering in dry weather

That was my reason for not going down that route, too funny. Though in my case, it is less an agility problem than a laziness problem.

I do wonder if it doesn't tend to get self-sown things growing in it, too, being open to the light?? (This may be wrong!)

I use a bulk bag for mine. Not attractive, but the end of my garden goes down 4 steps, so it can sit by the retaining wall and not be seen from the house. It has flaps you can close to keep it all dark in there, or sometimes I open them up to give it some rain.

I just lift the chicken wire leaf mould bin off the finished mould, and it can be scooped/used from there. I don't mix it whilst in the bin.

lifting off a cube of chicken wire is a bit beyond me but the healthy can probably manage it!
these compostable leaf sacks are more eco friendly than plastic bags
www.gardening-naturally.com/acatalog/Leaf_Sacks.html?gclid=CPPTnPnw9sgCFacewwodHqwHpg

I dont get anything growing in the leaf mould as it all seems to be leaves

Anyway what worked for me was one of those wooden slatted compost bins and we took apart the sides when the leaf mould was ready. Turning was a real faff though.

My laziness problem is worse that yours, Shove, as I've been putting all my leaves in the green bin. But I have been reading this thread so as to learn more about leaf mould! I have no where to store the leaves, alas. But one day...

Do you have room at the allotment, Zebra?

Those sacks funny mentioned are good - I bought my Dad some. But they are quite fancy when you can just use a bin bag (less attractive though that is)... I do just like stroking them though

You don't need to turn leaf mould, in fact it's best not to.

I put some in old compost bags with holes in and leave for a couple of years and some in a wire cage thing that I made so one side is tied up with string and just undo the spring.

I'm using an old builders white bag this year as loads of leaves have been delivered by the council to the allotments.

But leaves don't need turned.

[In fact compost doesn't 'need' turned either - it just takes longer if you don't.]

I love it when the lazy way is the right way . I never turn mine. OK, so this is usually because I have forgotten its existence by December, only to remember it when the leaves fall off the next year. But I can pretend it's calculated, right?

No room at that inn either, Shove - it's just a little allotment unfortunately.
But it is currently carpeted in leaves.

lifting off a cube of chicken wire is a bit beyond me but the healthy can probably manage it!

You can kick it over, or drag it off. Or make shorter cubes/frames. Whatever suits you.

Zebra - clearly, you are OWED more land by life and the world . Any chance of staking claim to the next allotment along?? Maybe you could sneak down at night and move the boundary, centimetre by centimetre so they don't notice??! (I kid, I kid).

Ooops, too many s!

Doreen - I think funny isn't well! Even small things in the garden are so much more difficult when you aren't 100%

Oh didn't realise.

Funny have you discovered Supersprout's allotment? Her mulching methods are legendary.

Oh , sounds good! I tend to run a mile from allotment threads as people there are good at growing veg and I cannot grow veg. I would like to but the veg know its me and either die or fail to produce flowers or fruit or wilt or whatever. I have recently had more success with flowers, which used to die on me until I reached the tender age of fifty.

I AM, Shove. I truly am.
Unfortunately next door are The Tidies, who have probably logged, and trimmed with nail scissors, every single blade of grass. They'd def notice if I encroached. The other side sometimes mow my grass, and they might get bees, so it would seem rude to rob them. One day, I will have vast tracts of land on which to garden and compost to my heart's content. Until then, I shall just live vicariously, and talk rubbish. And absorb lots of info.

well, how did this thread disappear off my 'I'm on' list ? pah -
I am of the lazy variety and bag them up, water, pop holes in the bottom and chuck around the back of the shed and forget for a couple of years - I then use for mulching around my favoured, or sad looking, bushes...

Zebra - You'll just have to win the lottery and buy an estate, then. I'm thinking a large walled kitchen garden, an orchard, a formal flower garden, a large pond and a few acres of parkland. Just a modest little place, you know?

And, of course, one of those house-sized bins for leaf mould!!

like this

www.clausdalby.dk/p/haven.html#.VjwwSWThAfE

That is so beautiful it makes me want to cry. Wow.

oh , thats truly lovely.
on a side note one of the spring pots I have done this year is dark purple violas and white dwarf narcissi nearly the same

Shove that sounds bliss. But I want a woodland, and a meadow too please. Still, it's a biggie lottery jackpot tonight, and for once I have bought a ticket, so you never know. ..

funny that is sheer heaven. That will do me fine.

booky sounds lovely!