Fall Leaves…Friend or Foe?
Who remembers making a pile of leaves into a forts and hiding in them from your friends or parents or seeing a huge pile of leaves and have the sudden urge to jump into them! Ahh! Childhood…where did you go?? But as we grow into adults, fall leaves can be a nuisance to our lawn. But are they really a nuisance? Actually fall leaves are very helpful to your lawn and keeping your soil healthy. But sometimes there for more leaves than needed on our lawn. So if you have an abundant amount of leaves that are piling up in your yard, try these options as oppose to burning leaves this fall.
This kid is full of spunk! And he loves spending time outdoors playing in the dirt! He didn’t mind taking a selfie with his mom! I’ll take it when I can! :-)
Gather your leaves and use them as mulch on your garden to decrease weeds during the spring. Pile the leaves at least 8 inches thick over your garden. The leaves create a barrier on your garden’s soil surface just like mulch does. But guess what?... your leaves are free! No need to buy mulch. This coming spring you won’t be battling unnecessary weeds and you can either rake the leaves and use them still as a weed barrier around your new vegetable plants or just simply till them into the soil to help with soil nutrition.
Mulch them up for your lawn. Did you know that mulching your leaves is healthy for your lawn? As you mow over you leaves they break down into the soil of your lawn. Your grass will look healthier with the nitrogen rich leaf compost. How easy is this? Just mowing the leaves down will help your lawn? Absolutely; no real need for raking!
Looking to make a new flower bed this spring? Use it as a mulch to kill the grass. Pile the leaves at least 8 inches thick (leaves will break down fast therefore you need a good amount) on the area you want to use as a flower bed. The thick layer of leaves will block all the winter sun on the grass that you are trying to kill. Once the spring arrives, the grass will be decaying and you will have a blank canvas for landscaping! What do you do with the leaves in the spring? The leaves will continue to keep the weeds at bay, just add a fresh layer a mulch on top to create a aesthetically pleasing finish to your bed. The leaves will also provide nutrients as they break down for your new plants!
Insulate tender plants before winter sets in. Did you buy a plant that is barely hardy for this area? Or just added a few plants to your landscape this fall? Use leaves to insulate around the base of your plant. This will keep the ground warm, keep moisture from evaporating, and allow the newly planted shrubs to continue to grow roots all winter!
Love using compost on your garden? Why not make your own instead of buying it! Leaf compost is very high in nitrogen which is great for vegetable plants! There is nothing better than knowing your veggies will be healthier and stronger because you were able to add compost from your yard to your garden. Its truly the circle of life! To create compost its best to create a makeshift compost bin or you can buy one as well.
Make a statement at your Thanksgiving dinner table. Bring in the most beautiful leaves to use within your table decor. There is nothing better than bringing nature indoors by using a few small pumpkins, colorful fall leaves, and even some berries you may have growing on your shrubs in your landscape. Try your own hand at a simple table arrangement! Its so much fun!
Could you imagine this arrangement at your thanksgiving? Notice that the leaves range from brown to red. Using a variety of colors and shapes creates more interest for your centerpiece. Happy arranging friend!
I hope you find these tips helpful during the next couple of weeks when you are cleaning up your yard to start decorating and preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas! I know I will be making a few piles of leaves for my kids to jump into before they make their way to winterize my garden! So hears to leaves being our friends and not foes and using them for compost or mulch and keeping our soils and plants healthy and ready for the spring!
Always your BFF,
Carrie