Topic: Leaf mould

[Georgie]

I'd be interested to hear members' views on which leaves rot down the quickest.  I use the black plastic bag method ensuring the leaves are thoroughly wet and I incorporate grass clippings.  I find the process takes between one and two years using any leaves I can get my hands on but would like to improve efficiency if I can because I only have limited space.  I've read that Oak, Beech and Hornbeam rot down fastest.  Do you agree?

G x

[redimp]

Beech does rot down quickly - mine are mainly a mix of Beech and London Plane - they are what I have readily available.  The Plane takes ages, the Beech can do it in a year.

[Georgie]

Beech does rot down quickly - mine are mainly a mix of Beech and London Plane - they are what I have readily available.  The Plane takes ages, the Beech can do it in a year.

Thanks for that, RC.  I have to supplement my supply by collecting leaves from the local park.   ::)  Does it matter which variety of Beech or do both the common type and the copper one both rot down equally well?

G x

[betula]

Don't put stuff in like holly,takes forever :)

[hopalong]

I agree about beech. I also have a lot of whitebeam and silver birch leaves which rot quickly.  The worst things are holly, laurel and bamboo leaves in my experience.

[littlebabybird]

my bag of holly leaves from winter 2005 still looks like, well holly leaves
lbb

[Georgie]

Thanks for the replies so far.  The only leaves I get in my garden are from deciduous shrubs I grow like Forsythia, Passiflora, Kerria, Buddleia and Jasmine.  I also get a few Silver Birch and Sycamore leaves which blow in from neighbouring gardens.  I've always assumed that 'tougher' leaves like Holly would be a no no and big leaves like Horse Chestnut would take a lot longer.  So what I guess I'm really asking is what are the best leaves 'to acquire'.   :)

G x

[Lauren S]

I only have oak tree leaves. I black plastic bag them up, stash them wet behind my fir trees. One year later they are *cooked* perfect for using on the garden  :D

[manicscousers]

in my vegetable gardener's bible, he runs a lawn mower over all the leaves and hoes them into the top of the beds, reckons they're really good for the carrot bed..doesn't specify which leaves, i wonder if it's bob flowerdew, someone tells us which ones are which  :)

[hopalong]

The excellent "RHS Wisley Experts Gardening Advice" ("All your questions answered" -  As if....!) says that for top quality leafmould you should use oak, beech or hornbeam. Shredding is a good way to speed up decomposition of tougher leaves like sycamore, horse chestnut and sweet chestnut. Thicker evergreen leaves like holly and laurel are best shredded and added to the normal compost heap.

Leafmould has little or no nutritional value but is great as a soil conditioner or additive to potting compost. Richer leafmoulds can be made by adding small amounts of grass clippings (though some would say this then becomes compost not crumbly leafmould).  A quick way to achieve this is to spread the leaves out on a lawn and collect them with a lawnmower, thereby shredding the leaves and adding grass all in one go.

To ensure good decomposition collect leaves after rain or wet them before stacking them in a leafmould cage or black bin-liners (pierced).

Hope this helps.

[redimp]

Some info I found two years ago:

Leaf Mulch: Ideal! This is the rich stuff you find decomposing on the forest floor. For landscape applications it is best to chop up the leaves with your lawnmower, then apply. Great in vegetable, flower gardens. It takes a long time to break down. When it has finished breaking down, leaf mould is one of the richest soil suppliers of nutrients and micro-organisms there is! The leaves of most trees can contain twice as many minerals as manure. The mineral content of a sugar maple leaf is over 5%, while even common pine needles have 2.5% of their weight in calcium, magnesium, nitrogen and phosphorus, plus other trace elements.

from here:
http://www.ghorganics.com/page24.html

[hopalong]

Leaf mould is undoubtedly great as a soil conditioner, mulching material and compost additive but is not, according to my books, rich in plant nutrients unless you add something to it - e.g. some comfrey leaves. But then, the experts often seem to disagree...

[Georgie]

Leaf mould is undoubtedly great as a soil conditioner, mulching material and compost additive but is not, according to my books, rich in plant nutrients unless you add something to it - e.g. some comfrey leaves. But then, the experts often seem to disagree...

I wonder who disagree more, experts or amateurs. Discuss.   ;D

G x

[jjt]

Never trust anyone who claims to know everything. I would guess that leafmould is not nitrogen rich, so not great at growth promotion like compost or manure. But as mentioned, full of other good stuff. The lack of nitrogen explains why leaves are a good mix with grass in a compost heap.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Leaf mould doesn't have much in the way of nutrients since the plant digests the cells and absorbs most of the nurients before it drops the thing. It's not going to waste all that nitrogen and stuff, is it? Grass cuttings are more nutritious since they're not of the seasons dropped, but from their mother plants untimely ripped.

[Georgie]

OMG I've got it bad.  Yesterday I was having lunch with my daughter in a local restaurant when I happened to notice that in the courtyard there were two magnificent beech trees shedding their leaves.  It was all I could do to stop myself from asking if I could go and help myself.  The daughter would have been mortified!   ;D

G x

[manicscousers]

ray asked at the asda petrol station last year, there we were, shovelling leaves into bags, watched by some very puzzled motorists  ;D

[Georgie]

ray asked at the asda petrol station last year, there we were, shovelling leaves into bags, watched by some very puzzled motorists  ;D

Thanks for that, Manics.  At times like these it's nice to know one is not alone!   ;)  ;D

G x

[nilly71]

I phoned up my local council and asked if i could have some of the bags of leaves they were sweeping up.... i have 10 bags saved for me and will ask for more ;D

Neil

[STEVEB]

OMG I've got it bad.  Yesterday I was having lunch with my daughter in a local restaurant when I happened to notice that in the courtyard there were two magnificent beech trees shedding their leaves.  It was all I could do to stop myself from asking if I could go and help myself.  The daughter would have been mortified!   ;D

G x

its an addictive disease this gardening lark....keep on taking the medication :P