I have spent a few hours today clearing up fallen leaves from the allotment, it has 7 apples trees and its down wind from three massive oak trees and was fairly blanket covered I have collected a fair amount and put them in a leaf bin.
I have left quite a few on the ground is this bad for the soil or can i just pick up the rest as and when i feel like it? I didn't clear right up to the fence so have left a margin undisturbed for wildlife.
Nora
Leaves are generally considered to be a soil improver. They dont offer much in the way of nutrients but they do add organic material and helps to improve soil structure.
I just dump bags of them on to my raised beds.
Nick
Leaves can only be good for soil, Shirley?
If you happen to squat down on the soil and stay perfectly still sometime in early-to-mid Autumnium, you'll notice, over several days, that worms will roll up and pull down individual leaves into their tunnels.
Usually under cover of night, so bring a flask, the worms end up actually dragging the leaves underground. Observations so far reveal that the worms, far from eating the leaves use them as insulating blankets so they can relax on their little worm-sofas and watch daytime telly all day.
Honest.
Quote from: Nigel B on November 22, 2012, 17:16:44
Leaves can only be good for soil, Shirley?
If you happen to squat down on the soil and stay perfectly still sometime in early-to-mid Autumnium, you'll notice, over several days, that worms will roll up and pull down individual leaves into their tunnels.
Usually under cover of night, so bring a flask, the worms end up actually dragging the leaves underground. Observations so far reveal that the worms, far from eating the leaves use them as insulating blankets so they can relax on their little worm-sofas and watch daytime telly all day.
Honest.
Ahh.... how sweet :toothy10: do they sit and have a :coffee2: ?
now there's a tale to tell my kids. I hope I have left enough for my worm lodgers!
Nora
:toothy10: