Autumn leavesfall off trees in large numbers and are often a big problem in the garden.Fallen leaves left on the lawn and on the pathswill rot and lead to a deterioration of the water quality in the pond. Therefore, they should be cleaned regularly. It is also worth knowing thatleaves collected in autumncan be used in a variety of ways in the garden, we do not always have to throw them away. Here are theproven ways to get on the fall foliage !
Leaves in autumn. What to do with leaves falling from trees?
How to collect leaves in autumn
Tocollect leaves in autumnwe can use special rakes. The leaf rake should flare downwards and have flat spikes. Thanks to this, instead of digging into the lawn or soil, they will grab a lot of leaves. There is also a large selection of mechanical devices that will make this task much easier for us. In every garden or construction supermarket, we will find garden blowers and vacuum cleaners forcleaning leaves in autumnThe prices of such devices are really very different, some can be purchased for just over PLN 100. Before buying, check what area you have to clean and what power of the device will be appropriate for this purpose.
We start cleaning leaves in autumnwhen the leaves are dry. We don't do it right after it rains or early in the morning when it's dewy and too humid. Dry leaves are lighter and it will be easier for us to transport them or put them in bags.
Good to know!
When deciding to buy a leaf vacuum cleaner, choose a model with a mulching function.After shredding, the volume of the leaves may decrease by up to 10 times ! So instead of ten bags of dry leaves, you will only have one. In addition, the shredded leaves compost much faster.
Burning leaves in autumn
Once we haverake or blow away the fallen leaves , they usually become quite a large pile. Then it is very common to burn the leaves in the fall.This way of getting rid of the leaves is highly controversial and now illegal!Roasted leaves produce a lot of smoke. It pollutes the immediate vicinity and contains substances that may be dangerous to he alth. Also, if we do not follow strict fire safety standards, the fire may spread.
Autumn leaves
Therefore, the current regulationsprohibit burning leaves on plots and in gardensOur duty is to collect leaves in bags and return them to local PSZOKs, i.e. Municipal Selective Waste Collection Points. In many communes, we can also post bags with leaves on set dates and they will be collected free of charge. Similar collections are also organized by the boards of the ROD.
Until recently, it was believed thatleaves infected with diseases or pests should be burned , and if this is not possible due to regulations or other restrictions, bury them to a depth of min. 30 cm. This was to prevent the spread of diseases and the wintering of the pest spores. Currently, however, we do not have the option of burning them, so it remains to be buried deep or packed in bags and returned as green waste, in accordance with the regulations.
How to use leaves in autumn
But why do we want to get rid of dry leaves from our gardens? When they come from he althy plants, it is worth using them for the benefit of the garden! We do not appreciate this gift of nature, and yet it can be a great ally in the cultivation of plants.
Leaves fallen from trees in autumn can be placed in a composter , obtaining a wonderful compost (for this purpose, the leaves are mixed with other plant debris) or leaf soil (only the leaves are composted). It is worth adding some nitrogen fertilizer, which accelerates the decomposition of composted leaves.
Autumn leaves
If we do not have a composter or the accumulated leaves do not fit in it anymore , we can also compost in plastic bags. For this purpose, black foil bags are used, which, after filling with leaves, should be tied and holes should be made in them so that oxygen can get inside. You can also buy special composting bags that are durable enough and have holes already made.
However, since composting the leaves can take from 1 to even 3 years , and we probably do not want unsightly bags to linger somewhere outside the garden for months, it is worth adding the Trigger-4 biopreparation to the composted leaves.It contains bacteria and enzymes that greatly accelerate the composting process. Ready to usecompost in plastic bags will be available after 3 months!
This is a great solution, because we compost the fall remains from the garden, fallen leaves and mowed grass until spring. When the growing season starts, it will be an excellent fertilizer for use in the garden, and unsightly bags will disappear.
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Fallen leaves from treescan also be a perfect winter cover for bulbs, pansies, garden yucca, lilies and other perennials. We can also mulch the ground around evergreen deciduous and coniferous shrubs.As long as the plants are he althy, no fallen leaves need to be removed from under the deciduous shrubs, because they mulch the soil and decompose it with additional nutrients. However, whole plants, e.g. heathers, should not be covered with leaves, as this favors the development of fungal diseases.
Both linden, hornbeam, ash, elm, maple, poplar and birch leaves are perfect for mulching and compost. Walnut, alder and oak leaves are not recommended. They contain tannins that slow down the development of other plants and take a long time to decompose. Also, chestnut leaves are unsuitable for any purpose (neither composting nor mulching). They are the habitat of the larvae of a very dangerous horse chestnut pest, which hibernates in the fallen leaves of chestnut trees. In recent years, a difficult fight against the scourge of this pest has been undertaken throughout the country.
Leaves in the orchard in autumn
You should also be careful with autumn leaves from the orchard, as they can often contain various pathogens. However, if we have he althy fruit trees, we can also use theirleaves in autumnThe plants are mulched only after the first frost. Previously uncovered, they are at risk of developing fungal diseases, and the mulch can provide a good habitat for pests seeking shelter for winter.
Autumn leaves in the garden pond
When cleaning leaves in autumnwe cannot ignore garden water reservoirs. Leaves should also be removed from them, as they silt them down to the bottom, and by accumulating on the surface, they make it difficult for fish and light to get access to aquatic plants. If the tank is small, we can put a net over it that will keep all the leaves on its surface.
Katarzyna Józefowicz
