What To Do With Dead Leaves In Autumn?

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When the trees are adorned with their flamboyant dress in coppery and shimmering tones ranging from yellow to bronze through red and orange, no doubt, the fall has really made its appearance. But the rhythm of the seasons will continue and this beautiful painting will progressively or brutally depending on the weather, giving way to bare trees in the middle of a carpet of leaves.

What to do with dead leaves in autumn?

Why are the leaves coloring and falling?

In autumn, the plant prepares its dormancy: the leaves absorb the water and transform their starch into sugars which are stored in the roots and the wood so that the tree is ready in the spring to feed the buds which will explode.

With decreasing temperatures and shorter days, the water freezes and can no longer migrate. At the base of the petiole, the plant creates a kind of film to block the passage of the sap to the leaf to keep the sap in reserve.

The chlorophyll (green pigment) of the leaves will then be consumed by these who try to survive, it will decrease and cause the appearance of these coppery colors, carotenoids (yellow and orange pigments) and anthocyanins (red and purple pigments ): this period is the most beautiful with all these fall colors.

However, the moment does not last and as soon as the thermometer falls, the leaves that are no longer fed will fall.

How to pick up dead leaves?

The dead leaves should not remain on the ground because when the season is very rainy, the carpet of leaves will prevent the evaporation of the water, on the one hand and on the other hand, it will favor the humidity and the development of parasites such as fungi, mosses, etc.

pick up the dead leaves at the rake

Contrary to Jacques Prévert's text, the dead leaves do not pick up the shovel but simply the rake, which offers the possibility, simultaneously, of removing any moss from the lawn. Proceed in the direction of the wind to prevent it from returning the leaves opposite the pile you will build. To evacuate the pile of leaves, you will use a fork (and not a shovel!). The mower can help you grind leathery leaves but forget the idea of ​​investing in a blower-vacuum of leaves: not only, this machine that can be heavy, makes noise, pollutes and is expensive but in addition, it dislodges and toss many other small insects that should stay in place.

If you have trees that are sick or attacked by parasites such as chestnut leafminer, apple tree gall blight, scab or peach blister, insulate their leaves. You will gain to destroy them to prevent any spread of diseases.

What to do with dead leaves?

Do not imagine burning dead leaves discreetly by defying the ban: you risk damaging your good neighborly relations given the smell and smoke that annoy and pollute, but you will also degrade the ecosystem by annihilating many small animals. It would be really counterproductive especially since healthy dead leaves represent a wealth for the garden, they are very useful:

Mulching of dead leaves

Dead leaves are the best natural mulch to improve soil fertility, maintain soil microorganisms, limit weed growth and protect against cold. They bring potash, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, silica, etc., and feed to earth, insects, mites that allow their decomposition. In addition, mulch can serve as a refuge for many animals (spiders, ladybugs, shrews, hedgehogs, toads...).

The tender leaves are very rich but decompose quickly (6 months maximum): they are particularly adapted to the vegetable garden, between the rows. In the spring, the work of earthworms and microorganisms underneath will have relaxed the soil enough that a single bite of crocodile is enough to make it ready to be cultivated again.

The more leathery leaves, after grinding, offer a mulch that lasts a long time, ideal to put under perennials, hedges, shrubs, roses, small fruit trees, etc.

mulch of leaves

The thickness of any mulch should be 30cm, and will be replenished as and when settlement. To prevent the leaves from flying off at the slightest gust of wind, cover them with shredded branches, heavier, or some branches branched horizontally.

Compost of dead leaves

Putting the composted leaves among the kitchen garden debris and the organic waste in the kitchen will give a compost that will warm up quickly and decompose in 4 to 5 months.No need to add products called compost activators: they are of no use and you incur additional costs.

If you only compost dead leaves, you will get a potting soil adapted to heather, black and lumpy soil.

And if you do not have compost, mulch to do or just too much dead leaves, the trash is not their place: put them in the trash bins of green waste.

What To Do With Dead Leaves In Autumn?

FAQ - 💬

❓ What do I do with a lot of dead leaves?

👉 Instead of tossing them, turn dry leaves into free fertilizer, mulch, bird refuges and more.

  1. Shred Dry Leaves With the Lawn Mower.
  2. Rake Dry Leaves Around Trees and Shrubs.
  3. Leave the Leaves for Wildlife.
  4. Add Dry Leaves to the Garden.
  5. Turn Dry Leaves Into Soil.
  6. Make Leaves Into Leaf Mold.

❓ Can dead leaves be used for anything?

👉 Dead leaves can also become an ingredient in a good compost, which is better than chemical fertilizer. Compost nourishes plants, preserves moisture in the soil, helps spread fertilizer, facilitates weeding, attracts worms and helps prevent diseases.

❓ Should I pick up leaves in the fall?

👉 Although people often rake fallen leaves and send them to a landfill to prevent their lawns from being smothered and to make yards look better, in most cases, you're fine not moving them. "Just leave them where they are and grind them up," said John Sorochan, a professor of turfgrass science at University of Tennessee.

❓ Are rotting leaves good for soil?

👉 Yes, leaving fallen leaves to decompose does return valuable nutrients to the soil, provides habitat for lots of important and valuable insect species over winter, and acts as a natural mulch.

❓ What is the best way to dispose of dry leaves Why?

👉 How to Dispose of Leaves

  1. Blow leaves into the woods. If you own woods or fields behind your home, blow leaves into those natural areas where they'll decompose and continue the circle of life. ...
  2. Bag 'em. ...
  3. Vacuum them away. ...
  4. Let leaves degrade. ...
  5. Return leaves to the earth. ...
  6. Burn the pile.

❓ Where should I put fallen leaves?

👉 Leaves are Free Mulch and Fertilizer Simply let leaves lie where they fall or move them into your garden beds to protect your plants' roots, suppress weeds, preserve soil moisture and eventually break down and return nutrients to the soil.

❓ What happens if I don't rake my leaves?

👉 A thick layer of leaves on your yard prevents it from absorbing air, nutrients, and sunlight. As it becomes difficult for air, water, sunlight, and nutrients to reach the lawn's root system, a lawn may develop disease, cause flooding, or even attract pests.

❓ Is it OK to leave leaves on lawn over winter?

👉 Excessive leaf matter on your lawn going into winter is bad for several reasons. First, it will smother the grass and if not removed very soon in the spring it will inhibit growth. Second, it can promote the snow mold diseases. And finally, turf damage from critters (voles, mice) can be more extensive in the spring.

❓ Should you leave leaves on your lawn over winter?

👉 Excessive leaf matter on your lawn going into winter is bad for several reasons. First, it will smother the grass and if not removed very soon in the spring it will inhibit growth. Second, it can promote the snow mold diseases. And finally, turf damage from critters (voles, mice) can be more extensive in the spring.

❓ Should I cover garden beds with leaves?

👉 Cover Garden Beds With the Leaves This works great for most plants. The leaves keep the crown of perennials warmer, and help collect snow when it does fall. Provided the leaves are not too thick they can just be left alone in spring and they will decompose.

❓ Does dried leaves decay easily?

👉 Dry leaves alone will break down slowly over time, but you can speed that process by mixing the leaves with green plant materials, such as grass clippings, garden discards and produce scraps.

❓ What to do with the leaves in the fall?

👉 5 Ways to Use Autumn Leaves in the Garden 1 Compost. Leaves are a great source of brown, high-carbon material for the compost pile. ... 2 Make Leaf Mold. Leaf mold is a wonderful soil amendment that is made from nothing more than fall leaves with a layer of garden soil or finished compost. 3 Create Mulch. ... 4 Hoard Leaves. ... 5 Mow. ...

❓ What can I do to make my garden look autumnal?

👉 Autumn is the ideal time to give your garden a thorough tidy, before the cold weather sets in. As well as clearing fallen leaves, there are lots of other simple tasks that will make a big difference to the look of your garden. Don’t forget your garden’s wildlife – discover four essential autumn jobs for wildlife.

❓ How do I get rid of leaves in my garden?

👉 Simply let leaves lie where they fall or move them into your garden beds to protect your plants’ roots, suppress weeds, preserve soil moisture and eventually break down and return nutrients to the soil.

❓ Are fallen leaves good for the garden?

👉 From a gardening perspective, fallen leaves offer a double benefit. Leaves form a natural mulch that helps suppress weeds and at the same time fertilize the soil as they break down. Why spend money on mulch and fertilizer when you have a free source in the form of fallen leaves?

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Video: Chris Brown - Autumn Leaves (Official Music Video) (Explicit) ft. Kendrick Lamar.

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