When you hear the word fall, the first thing that comes to mind is somewhat the same for most people. An image of colorful leaves covering the ground everywhere you turn and refreshing cooler weather. After all, fall doesn’t get its name for nothing, this is the season where leaves are the most plentiful crop. However, homeowners do have to deal with raking responsibilities because of this. But once you are done, don’t just throw away your leaf leftovers, they have multiple different benefits for homeowners to take advantage of.
Why Use Fall Leaves?
Fall leaves are an organic matter packed with tons of nutrients given to them by the trees they once grew on. These leaves are a great source of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and much more. With all these beneficial nutrients packed into one, it makes this crop perfect to improve soil structure and health. They even contain double the minerals than what manure does.
Benefits To Soil
- You can use them to help benefit your soil by shredding the leaves into the soil in your garden or elsewhere.
- Afterward, when spring is here, you can expect where you put the shredded leaves to be alive with earthworms, butterflies, and more beneficial organisms.
- Once you’re done adding the shredded leaves, you should also add some slow-release nitrogen fertilizers. This will assist them in decomposing and make sure that soil microbes don’t use up all of the nitrogen.
Creating A Compost Pile
- You can create a compost pile as well for reliable soil amendment. Just pile leaves up in a spot that keeps them from being blown around to keep them in place.
- Then, layer them with nitrogen-rich green material like dead plant matter and grass clippings. In doing so, this will take care of feeding the bacteria doing the work of breaking down the leaves.
- Let this mix sit, and flip it occasionally to allow for it to aerate. If begins to look dry, use water to get it wet again.
- Do this until spring season comes back around and you can reap the benefits of a super healthy compost for your garden’s soil.
Mulching Leaves
- If you want to take a less-physically intense approach, you can mow the leaves into your lawn to improve your soil.
- Use a mulching lawnmower with the blade 3 inches high and mow once a week to provide your soil with extra nutrients.
- Doing this can even lessen the need for fertilizer on your lawn in the spring. Also, this is another way of removing thick blankets of leaves from suffocating your lawn.
Benefits In The Garden
- Lastly, you can use chopped leaves in your garden to help prevent the soil from washing away in the winter.
- Using them in this way provides perfect protection for crops and helps prevent weeds. At the same time, it’s doing those tasks, it is also retaining your soil’s moisture.
- Use shredded and chopped leaves as an insulating blanket for overwintering tender perennial plants. This offers them extra protection throughout the season.
Make Use Of Your Leaves!
Don’t overlook the fall leaves in your yard anymore as useless or allow them to just sit. Start today and take advantage of them. For more information about how fall leaves can be used around your home contact Chorbie experts. We are always happy and excited to help any of our homeowners here in the DFW. We look forward to assisting you!
