Leaves make the best all natural mulch for flowerbeds and your edible garden beds. The worms love it and it does a wonderful job of keeping weeds at bay and it does wonders to help retain moisture. Leaves also help improve the soil over the long term as the worms turn them into the soil. The best part is that they’re FREE! I’m lucky that our gardens are surrounded by giant trees so I have leaves in abundance, but we also collect leaves from our neighborhood leaf drop off center as I don’t think you can ever have too many!
I prefer to chop the leaves up with a mower as this makes a better mulch. I find that they don’t get matted down and slimy in the spring when you do this. Adding some green material also helps the mulch break down faster and I have found that it helps insulate my garden better since the two mixed together seem to provide a little extra heat.
I often spread a 3-6 inch layer of mixed leaves and green material on all my garden beds in the fall. In the spring I leave it on some garden beds, mainly the ornamental ones as it helps prevent weeds from germinating. I usually mix them into the soil in my edible beds when I’m getting ready to plant.
Do you use leaves in your garden? What do you like using for mulch?
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I just got 35 bags of leaves from a neighbor for the garden. How can you beat free mulch/fertilizer?
I regret that yesterday I didn’t act on the impulse to go up to the elderly neighbor with the big lawn, the bagging mower and no garden and ask if I could walk the bags down to my house to dump them. If it had been one of the neighbors I knew by name, I probably would have. Save him a trip to the edge of the woods and get me mulch.
I do use leaves, in all my garden beds. Leaves and grass when I can. Straw tends to have seeds in it that I hate having to weed out when they sprout.
yes yes yes. Love the Leaves. They are free garden magic! When I mow the yard everything just gets mulches up and stays on the yard. But I have been known to pick up bags of leaves as I am out and about. Me neighbor also collects bags of leaves from around the neighborhood to turn into mulch. I can always get more bags from them if I run out. Right now I just spread them on any garden to help keep the ground moist and cool throughout the summer. Then as I plant veg or flowers or move things around they get worked into the soil and more leaves get put on top again. Sincerely, Emily
Hi,
I use mulch for my small garden my mulch of choice has been the bark mulch. Because it was the first type i ever used, I just stuck with that one. But I want to try pine needles next. Down here in the south we have plenty of that!
In my climate I find that having a cover on the soil attracts slugs, which are a huge problem here in the Pacific Northwest. So my leaves are either eaten as snacks by the livestock or composted.
My goats LOVE! leaves! I am going to spread them in my garden this year before it snows. First year having a garden! Between the two I shouldn’t have many leaves left, Yea!
I was fortunate enough to get the tip to call our local Department of Public Works and request that they give me some of the bagged leaves they collect this month! My hens are going to love them – I use my own as blankets for my gardens. They do make for nice soil… fewer weeds… less need of watering!