⭐ STOP Raking Your Leaves — The $0 Mulch Trick Most Skip, by Silver Harvest Living on YouTube. 15 min 2 s.
- Video length
- 15 min 2 s
- Time to do it
- 1 to 2 hours
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Rake fallen leaves into loose piles on the lawn or a tarp. Keep them dry if you can, since wet leaves clog mowers and shredders.
Run a lawn mower with the bag attached over the leaf piles. Go slowly and make several passes until the leaves are chopped into small pieces about the size of a coin.
If you have no mower, put leaves in a clean bin and chop them with a string trimmer. Work in small batches so the trimmer does not jam.
Spread a layer of shredded leaves 2 to 3 inches deep around shrubs, perennials and trees. Keep the mulch a few inches away from stems and trunks.
For vegetable beds, work a thinner layer of shredded leaves into the top inch of soil, or leave them on top over winter and dig them in in spring.
Pile any spare shredded leaves in a corner or wire bin and keep them damp. Turn the pile every few weeks to make leaf mold for next season.
Check beds after heavy rain or wind and top up thin spots. Avoid packing leaves into thick, wet mats that block air and water.
Tips and common mistakes
Never bury small plants or crowns under a thick layer, as smothered leaves can rot stems.
Shred leaves before mulching, because whole leaves mat down and break down much more slowly.
Skip leaves from black walnut trees near sensitive plants and avoid leaves covered in disease or oil.
Keep a few bags of dry shredded leaves for spring, when brown material is hard to find for compost.
Questions
Do I need a shredder to make leaf mulch?
No. A lawn mower with a bag or a string trimmer in a bin chops leaves well enough. Several passes give a finer result.
Will leaf mulch make my soil too acidic?
Leaves break down to a near-neutral mulch over time. A surface layer will not noticeably change your soil pH.
Can I put fresh leaves straight on garden beds?
Yes, if they are shredded and spread thin. Whole leaves in thick layers smother plants and take much longer to break down.
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.
