The Fallen Leaf Method That Makes FREE Soil in One Year, by Ruth's Garden on YouTube. 6 min 34 s.
- Video length
- 6 min 34 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour plus 6 to 12 months wai
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Rake the fallen leaves off your lawn and paths into a pile. Keep them separate from your compost heap, because leaves break down cold and slow and can stall a hot compost pile.
Pick a corner of the garden for the leaves, ideally out of full sun. A wire bin, a few filled leaf sacks or a simple heap against a fence all work.
Get the moisture right. Pile the leaves, then water them until they are damp like a wrung-out sponge, and keep them damp through dry spells.
Speed things up by running the mower over the pile a few times. Shredded leaves break down in about six months instead of a year or two.
Leave the pile alone. Do not turn it and do not add kitchen scraps. Fungus does the work on its own.
Check after six months by digging into the middle. It is ready when the leaves have turned into a dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling material with no whole leaf shapes left.
Set aside leaves from walnut trees and any diseased leaves, and keep those out of the pile.
Use the finished leaf mould as a mulch on beds, dug into the top layer of soil, or mixed into seed and potting compost.
Tips and common mistakes
Do not dig fresh leaves straight into the soil, because they rob nitrogen from plants as they break down.
Keep the pile damp but not soggy, since dry leaves can sit for years without rotting.
Shredding with a mower is the single easiest way to cut the waiting time in half.
Leaf mould is not compost, so do not expect heat or fast results. It is a slow, cold process.
Questions
How long does leaf mould take to make?
About one to two years with whole leaves, or around six months if you shred them with a lawn mower and keep them damp.
Can I put leaves in my compost bin?
It is better to keep them separate. Leaves are broken down by fungus and break down slowly, and a thick layer can slow a hot compost heap.
Which leaves should I avoid?
Walnut leaves and diseased leaves are best left out of the pile. Most other common leaves, including oak and beech, work well.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
