Topic: we've started the leaf collection again

[cambourne7]

Great Idea, I will move all the compost into one bin and get them to fill the other side as well :)

Your right about it being the heart of the lotty

[Tin Shed]

Out in the road this morning sweeping up the leaves - got four bags full and I reckon about another four to fall off........and then there is the other tree opposite.........

[tartonterro]

Bought myself one of the those leaf blowers/vacums myself this year - g/f garden seems to attract all the leaves from the surrounding gardens, looking forward to some lovely leave mould for mulching pots and containers and adding to compost next year.

[antipodes]

heavens! maybe I should stick a cylinder of chicken wire on my ground and get some leaves into it!! I am amazed that a lot of people on my allotment don't even make any compost, they must prefer buying fertilizer :(
I have a big wooden box and it is quite full, i stick everything I can into it!! But I think the leaves should be separate or I will have no more room at all. I guess I will just go scavenging in the park with some bin bags and pick up whatever I can find  ???

[cambourne7]

yes the chicken wire allows the wind to get in but the leaves cant get out 2 easy. Over winter this will break down and you can mix it with your own compost to make somethink wonderful!!

[manicscousers]

heavens! maybe I should stick a cylinder of chicken wire on my ground and get some leaves into it!! I am amazed that a lot of people on my allotment don't even make any compost, they must prefer buying fertilizer :(
I have a big wooden box and it is quite full, i stick everything I can into it!! But I think the leaves should be separate or I will have no more room at all. I guess I will just go scavenging in the park with some bin bags and pick up whatever I can find  ???

just watch out in the park, in case someone 'walks' the dog  ;D

[Clayhithe]

I live next to a wood, should I get out there with my rake and a bag???

Don't let anyone see you:  what you're suggesting is illegal ;)
The leaf mould keeps the wood alive.
It's different in the parks and gardens because the leaves kill the grass by excluding light,
and the grass is fed by gardeners and park-keepers.

Most compostable material contains weed seeds,
which germinate in your garden,
and which then go back on the heap (!)
It's composted by bacteria,  woodlice,  worms, . . . .

Leaves contain virtually no weed seeds,
so the compost can be used as potting compost.
They are composted mostly by moulds,
so it takes longer.
The moulds need air,  so the black bags take a lot longer.

Sorry,  I can't resist a science lecture now and again.   It takes me back to the old days,  and keeps me going.

[Baaaaaaaa]

My wooden slatted composter takes 30 bin bag fulls.  The council here provide green bags to collect stuff that can be composted, so late evening the day before dustbin day, I go around and 'harvest' green bags from the local area. I only collect leaves and grass, dustmen can have the rest.

My boot can only take 10 at a time. Collected a boot full last night, will harvest another 10-15 from my road tonight, and a further 10 tomorrow from around the corner.

Lots of horse chestnuts,oaks and beaches around here - just perfect. I try to avoid the thicker, larger leaves like magnolias.

I tip a few bags out at a time, remove any platsic wrappers that always get included, and run the lawn mower over them. This shreds them and gets the composter off to a head start. This mixed with the grass rots beautifully.  I collect about 50% more that the composter will hold, so that as the heap goes down I can top it up.

Once spring arrives, I only mix in grass clippings, don't add any more leaves, and  turn the whole lot over once a month.

Come October, I transfer the 'gold' into a builders bag and start refilling the composter.

By spring time I have good quality potting compost. What I don't use by May, I put around the runner beans and peas.

Collecting bags is a lot easier/quicker than picking up leaves.

I've been doing this for years now, and some of the neighbours bag their leaves specially for me, although some of the newer residents can't understand why, first thing in the morning, the council  appeared to have collected their neighbours green bags, but not theirs.

Looking down the road at all the green bags put out, its clear very few people have compost heaps.

[Kea]

I also shred Christmas trees and leave in bags to rot down, to use as a mix/ mulch for acid loving plants. Mind you, you could grow a Clematis vitalba waiting for those things to rot...

 ;D

Bit confused by that comment. I did my thesis on Clematis vitalba and it is one of the fastest growing plants there is.....it can grow metres a day!

[Amazin]

Commonly known as...

 ;D

[Kea]

I thought leaves took a long time to rot down. Longer than making compost which is why they suggest keeping leaves out of the compost bin.

[Lady of the Land]

Went with husband and son to local park and collected 8 large sacks of leaves. OH hid behind a tree initially when cars came bye in case anyone knew him. We did get a few strange looks from people in their cars.Almost left husband and son to walk home so I could get more sacks in the car.

Tomorrow son is off on mountain biking introductry afternoon at another local park - so I am going armed with rake and more sacks. Just wish i could get more sacks in the car.

On the way home my son was working out how many sacks I could collect while he was on his course which lasts 1 1/2 hrs. We had collected the 8 sacks in about 50mins. What he forgot to take into consideration was that my husband and son were throwing conkers at each other for 20 of those minutes at least !

[Amazin]

For Kea - I'll try again...

Mind you, you could grow [spoiler]an Old Man's Beard[/spoiler] waiting for those things to rot...

(sigh!)

 ::)

[delboy]

I've been collecting "leaves by bag" - i.e. those bagged up by the various London councils for 3 years now.. but yesterday I was told off by the street sweeper for stealing that council's leaves!

As he was the one with the broom and the paddles, and as my Polish is rubbish, so arguing was gonna be u/s, I legged it in the car to another stash.

As I understand it, nutrients in leaf mould are not the most important thing as they are pretty non-existent; it's the use of the leaf mould for soil conditioning, as it all helps to make the soil that much more crumbly, and on the Surrey clay that's a major bonus.

[star]

"Stealing the councils leaves?"...........................Well I never ::)

[cornykev]

Can't believe it Delboy a   T  LEAF.    ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Kea]

Unfortunately Amazin Cv has so many common names I didn't know which one you meant. Now it makes perfect sense. There are several other plants with that common name including a lichen.

[Kea]

You can phone your local council for permission.....why would they refuse?! Then you can't be told you're stealing the councils leaves.

[Eristic]

"Stealing the councils leaves?".

They are not the Council's leaves. They are there for the benefit of the residents.

[delboy]

I was in Brent!!! Alperton to be precise. Richmond are nicer..