Spread a three-inch (7.5 cm.) Besides helping retain moisture in the soil by reducing evaporation, leaf mold also absorbs rainwater to reduce runoff, and in hot weather, it helps cool roots and foliage. This means that the soil retains water better, often over 50 percent better water retention than soil without leaf mold. 4) By using leaves as a mulch, you are helping the environment. Most leaves are slightly acidic when they fall, with a pH below 6. Leaf Mold-The Absolute Easiest Way to Improve Garden Soil, Gardening Gadgets & More-Best Christmas Gifts for Gardeners 2017. Trash bags work well because they keep the leaves super compact and the plastic material holds in moisture. Next post: Overwinter Peppers Indoors-Don’t Let Your Plants Die Young! Three or four feet high is usually plenty. If you’re impatient like me, here are some tips to speed up your leaf mold efforts. According to some university studies, the addition of leaf mold increased water retention in soils by over 50 percent. Overwinter Peppers Indoors-Don’t Let Your Plants Die Young! Remember leaf mold retains water at rate of 500% of its own weight so it makes a great alternative to peat moss. Just ask your neighbors! As the litterfall is consumed by the decomposer food web, water and inorganic nutrients (i.e. However, as the leaves break down into leaf mold, the pH goes up into more a … A composters best friend is a pile of leaf mold! Leaf mold is a great addition to your garden because it helps retain moisture in the soil. Using leaf mold as a soil amendment is a common and productive practice. Leaf mold also improves soil structure and provides a fantastic habitat for soil life, including earthworms and beneficial … Although lacking any significant amount of nutrients, leaf mold contains many beneficial trace minerals that are mined from deep underground by tree roots and transferred to the leaves. Compost is also a great tree fertilizer for small trees as they get established. Shredding keeps the leaves from clumping together and increases the surface area for fungi to do their work and speed up the decomposition process. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF LEAF MOLD FOR MY GARDEN? Yimby Compost Tumbler Review-A Great Composter for Beginners! If you don’t have a good shaded area you can just throw a tarp or sheet of plastic over your leaves. Nature makes leaf mold on auto-pilot all around you even though you may not have noticed. I put leaves in garbage bags in the fall, added some water and seal them up. Leaf mold is a form of compost produced by the breakdown of shrub and tree leaves.. Due to the slow decaying nature of their lignin (cellulose) content, autumn leaves break down far more slowly than most other compost ingredients, and therefore should be composted separately. Turned into hard and clay soils, it will help make them more friable and root-friendly while maintaining good moisture levels. Just make sure the leaf pile is big enough to retain moisture and heat. Benefits of adding leaf mold to our soil for gardening and landscaping? Build your leaf pile in a shaded area to keep in moisture. I love this time of year! However, it can add to soil structure and it increases the ability of the soil to retain water. What is Leaf Mould? Mix two teaspoons of neem oil, one teaspoon of dish soap, and half a gallon (2 l) of water. Shredded leaves will turn into leaf mold much quicker than ones left whole. Use it as mulch or incorporate it into the soil, or both. Where leaf mold really shines is in adding organic matter … It only takes a quick look at this stuff and it’s rich texture to reassure you that it will take your garden soil to the next level. There are a few slightly different methods. Check out our homemade potting soil mix and substitute leaf mold for compost. Anyone can easily make leaf mold! Leaves that are shredded also take up much less space. Download: … Moisten the leaves slightly and tie up the bags. This quality alone brings several fantastic benefits to your garden. About Leaf Mold Compost. Mold is not an exact compost. Leaf mold is very versatile and can be used all throughout the garden. Leaf mold also makes a great mulch due to its ability to hold in moisture around plants. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. If you’re impatient like me, here are some tips to speed decomposition doesn ’ t let plants! A pH below 6 structure and texture are also greatly improved all bad, but it does for few. 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