It’s almost that time again. The days are growing a little shorter, a little cooler. Apple cider is becoming more prominent at the grocery store and orchards. Pumpkin spice everything is everywhere. And soon, it will be time to rake leaves (or not).
The folks at the Farmers’ Almanac have come up with some awesome ways to use those fallen maple, oak, ash, elm, etc. leaves that don’t involve placing them in plastic bags.
Use #1: Improve your soil. Leaves provide free and abundant organic matter. During their growing season, trees mine minerals from the subsoil and bring them to the tips of their branches. Leaves are great sources of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and more. The Almanac says the leaves of one large tree can be worth as much as $50 worth of plant food and humus. Pound for pound, leaves contain twice the mineral content of manure. You can mix shredded leaves right into your garden soil for an all-natural boost.
Use #2: Start a compost pile. If you haven’t already started a compost pile/bin/what have you, fallen leaves make for a great base. Layer the carbon-rich “brown” leaves with high-nitrogen “green” material such a grass clippings, dead plant matter and kitchen scraps. Be sure to turn and aerate the pile occasionally for decomposition to work its wonders!
Use #3: Make mulch. This seems like a no-brainer, right? Leaves make an excellent protective mulch for vegetable crops, berry bushes and ornamental shrubs. They provide the double duty of suppressing weeds and helping to retain soil moisture. Leaf cover also allows autumn-planted garlic to root without sprouting and prevents shallow-rooted strawberries from heaving during freeze/thaw cycles throughout winter.
Use #4: Protect and store root vegetables. According to the Almanac, leaves make a good insulating layer for cold-hardy vegetables and root crops stored in the ground like carrots, kale, leeks and beets. Cover them with leaves and you may be able to harvest all winter.
If you have a cool, humid spot, you can also store carrots, beets and other root veggies between layers of crisp, freshly fallen leaves. Sprinkle each layer of leaves with water (without letting them grow soggy).
Use #5: Playtime! Sure, you can let some leaves lay on the lawn all winter to slowly break down into fertilizer, but you can always rake them into giant piles to jump in too. Raking them is great exercise (as per WebMD, you can burn 350 to 400 calories per hour doing so). You can also create art by preserving the prettiest ones.
Enjoy your autumn – and don’t let your leaves get left behind.
