 |
| The raking season went for about 10 weeks: April, May, and half of June. I think the two large, deciduous trees in the back garden are an oak, and a liquidamber, with the latter being by far the most prolific shedder of leaves. |
 |
| During that period, I would rake the entire yard thrice weekly. I had two wheelie bins, three large, black, council provided recycling bins, and 7 very large, thick black plastic bags. Of course, I could not put them all out for collection each week, so it was a case of juggling. Now that is behind me, I am working my way around the garden beds, replacing the dried leaves with lucerne mulch. Should finish that just in time for Spring! |
 |
5 comments:
Too much work ... I wait until all the leaves have fallen and do the job once. As for putting the leaves in the garbage I won't have that either ... I sweep them off the paths into the garden beds for mulch and what is on the lawn I mow over.
I am in the process now of removing alll the fallen leaves from the garden beds. The way I see it, they are dried and cracked and offer the plants little in the way of sustenance. Some of these leaves I put in the compost in the right proportions (brown, green, veggie). The rest I put in the recycle green bin. On the garden beds I layer compost, which I then cover with lucerne mulch from my friend's horse stud. Yeah, lots of work, but fun, and good exercise.
Maybe coz it was just so hot and dry in Ararat during the summer, I used to throw everything on the beds as mulch especially fallen leaves - even pruned branches.
I figure beneficial little creatures would live in them.
I've seen the fellas on Gardening Australia just put leaves in a garbage bag - stick em under the house and forget about them for 12 months. Then ta-da - nice mulchy stuff.
I guess some of it depends whether you want to retain moisture, or want to increase the nutrients in the soil. I am not convinced that fallen leaves are a good moisture retention system. However, perhaps if they were shredded that may be better. I will read up about how to recycle leaves in preparation for next autumn. I might invest in a small shredder and use the shredded leaves on the gardens in preference to simply giving it to the council, who you can bet wii shredd it and use in public parks and gardens. I will work up a post about mulching and composting: pros and cons.
In my garden the leaves don't stay dry and crunchy ... in no time they get all damp and break down to a mulchy kind of thing just like a forest floor.
As for shredding, I have a shredder but NEVER use it (too lazy). The lawn mower is my shredder.
Post a Comment