Once all the strong winds have passed, we highly recommend going on a leaf collecting mission to rake up fallen leaves to make a leaf mould mulch for next year. It’s a great source of nutrients…
What IS a leaf mould?
Essentially, a leaf mould is a mulch made from composted leaves.
How to make a leaf mould:
To make a leaf mould is incredibly easy. All you need to do is gather up lots of leaves in a wheelbarrow or sack. Once you’ve gathered them up you need to decide how you will store them. The most common way is to make a small, square frame with 4 stakes and some chicken wire. Pop the leaves inside the frame and the chicken wire will prevent them from being blown away whilst leaving them open to rain etc. They’ll take around 1 year to 18 months to rot down, so starting now will really help you out this time next year.
If you don’t fancy building a frame, then you can always use old compost bags or black bin liners. Just fill them with leaves, pierce a few holes in the plastic and make sure there is a little moisture in the leaves when you fill them. (Add an extra splash if you need) Then put these in a corner of your garden somewhere and wait.
How to use a leaf mould:
Leaf mould is really good to use around the base of your plants as a mulch either in the winter when it will help to protect plants from frosts, or in spring and summer when it will help to keep the soil moist.
Why leaf mould is so great:
It’s a really good source of nutrients and as it breaks down further all those nutrients will go into your soil and replenish it for your plants. It will also help to improve the consistency of your soil as it breaks down, which is especially good if you have a clay soil type.