How to Make Leaf Compost for a Thriving Garden

Hey garden lovers! Fall yard cleanup can easily turn into a day-long job, but don’t let all that hard work go to waste. Learning how to make compost from your dead leaves is one of the best ways to benefit your garden. Not only does composting offer a host of advantages, but it’s also simple to do at home! Here’s everything you need to know about turning those fall leaves into rich, nutritious compost.

Benefits of Leaf Compost and Leaf Mulch

There are two main ways to compost leaves:

1. Leaf Compost: A mix of leaves and other organic materials like grass clippings or food waste.
2. Leaf Mulch (Leaf Mold): Just leaves and water.

Leaf Mulch helps retain soil moisture, while Leaf Compost provides more plant nutrients and helps prevent the spread of weeds, pests, and diseases.

How to Make Compost from Dry Leaves in a Bin or Pile

Steps to Start Composting Leaves:

1. Shred the Leaves: Use a lawn mower to shred the leaves and catch them in your mower bag.
2. Build the Pile:
   • Add shredded leaves to a compost bin or pile them in a corner of your yard.
   • Layer the leaves with nitrogen-rich items like cottonseed meal, fresh grass clippings, food waste, or manure.
   • Alternate between layers of leaves and high-nitrogen materials until the pile is about three feet tall and wide.
3. Maintain the Pile:
   • Turn the compost once a month using a pitchfork or shovel. Transfer it to another bin or pile if needed.
   • Check for moisture: add water if dry, or add leaves, straw, or sawdust if too soggy.
4. Monitor and Turn:
   • The pile will heat up between turnings and should remain damp but not soaked.
   • Finished compost is dark, crumbly, and smells earthy. With the right balance and periodic turning, you can have compost in a couple of months. However, if you don’t turn it, keep it moist, or only use leaves, it can take a year or more to complete. To make the process faster, remember to mix in a variety of materials.

Making Leaf Mold in Garbage Bags

Leaf Mold doesn’t add as many nutrients as compost but is great for mulching and controlling weeds.

Steps to Make Leaf Mold:

1. Shred Leaves: Use a lawn mower or chipper-shredder to shred the leaves.
2. Fill and Seal Bags:
   • Place shredded leaves in large garbage bags.
   • Water the leaves until damp, but not soaked.
   • Seal the bags tightly and cut a few slits for airflow.
3. Turn and Moisten:
   • Shake the bag every few weeks to turn the contents.
   • Add water as needed every four to eight weeks.
4. Wait:
   • The leaf mold is ready when the leaves turn into a brown or black crumbly material, usually in about six months. Perfect for spring use!

How Long Does It Take to Make Compost?

Composting leaves can take anywhere from a couple of months to a year. Patience is key! For quicker results, simply run your lawn mower over the leaves. The grass will absorb the nutrients as they decompose.

Tips for Making Compost Quickly

1. Turn the Pile Frequently: More oxygen speeds up the decomposition.
2. Keep It Moist: Add water each time you turn the pile.
3. Add Nitrogen: Supplemental nitrogen sources like blood meal or manure can speed up the process.

Wrap Up

Now that you know how to make compost from your dead leaves, you can turn your seasonal yard work into garden gold. Composting is a fantastic way to recycle nutrients and keep your garden thriving. So, grab those leaves, start composting, and watch your garden flourish!

Happy gardening!