leaves as mulch
Leaves make a terrific, free mulch and what's more is that you can use decomposed leaves as compost. Shredding leaves really helps this process. If you don't have a shredder, try run over your piles of leaves with your lawn mower, passing it back and forth until your leaves are very well shredded.
If you don't have many trees on your own property, drive around your neighborhood in the fall when people put out huge bags of leaves for pick-up. These are yours for the taking!
If you are making compost from leaves you will need piles and piles and piles and piles! You get the idea. Hugh piles of leaves compost down into very small mounds of compost.
What some people do is use leaves as an ingredient for compost. A nicely balanced compost has many ingredients in it so that it is rich in nitrogen and carbon. Leaves provide carbon. Layer this carbon between layers of nitrogen-rich compost. Turn your compost now and then.
So use leaves! They're free and very beneficial.
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