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Raise Your Garden

Musings on the Seedier Side

  • Composting
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October 24, 2018 in Composting· Green living· Organic Gardening

10 ways to put those fall leaves to good use & stop wasting them!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I'll make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
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Do you really want to rake the leaves this year? Probably not unless you’re desperate for exercise after your Zumba class got cancelled.

 

Maybe you are more of a leaf-blower type of person anyhow?

As a side note – don’t you just love watching kids jump in a pile of leaves? Such joy.

But I digress.

Here’s 10 fantastic ways to get those leaves to work for you instead of you doing all the work!

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1.) Mow the leaves and lawn one last time….

This is by far my favorite option which is why it goes first.

 

Tom borrows our neighbor’s lawn mower for one last late-season mowing. Not only does our lawn look ready for winter but the mower chops up those leaves. Poof. Gone. No need to rake.

Now that fall is here, we set the blades lower than usual so the grass is cut shorter than in summer. After all, the weather is cooler and we are getting more rain. No fear that we’ll kill the lawn.

Cutting the grass a tad shorter also increases air circulation while discouraging fungal diseases. This method works particularly well if your leaves are small or medium-sized.

Similar to grass clippings, chopped leaves decompose quickly and add valuable organic matter with nutrients to the soil. It’s free too, folks!

This reduces the need for fertilizers. If you do notice any clumps of leaves or grass that didn’t get evenly dispersed, you’ll want to spread them out before the snow comes so you don’t kill your lawn.

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2.) Do nothing with your leaves ~ let them be!

Yup. You heard that right. One option is to do absolutely nothing with your leaves. No raking. No leaf-blowing. Why create a problem where there isn’t one?

 

This is especially true if you live way out in the country with few neighbors. Who cares what happens to the leaves? No one will be bothered by them.

Leaves decompose quickly and feed organic matter to the soil.

But I live in suburbia. When those strong gusts of wind come up, all my leaves head straight to the neighbors fence. Then they would have to deal with them. Not exactly fair.

We love that fence. It blocks a super busy road protecting my kids and pets from harm.

So the “do nothing” isn’t an option for Tom and I but hopefully it’s a choice for you!

Big “green” flag.…if you leave a thick layer of leaves on your lawn, especially large clumpy leaves, they will block sunlight and promote turf grass fungal diseases.

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3.) Rake the leaves over the roots of your trees & shrubs

Ever go on a hike in the woods and look down on the ground? That wonderful black material on the forest floor is called “humus.” Broken down leaves are the ideal form of compost, created to serve the trees.
 
And the best thing you can do for your trees and shrubs is to cover their roots with their own decomposing leaves.
 
The “community of organisms” that evolve in naturally composted plant material are exactly right for the needs of those plants. Local compost for the local plants.
 

This is a great rake at a frugal price if you’re in the market for a new one. 

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4.) Mulch the flower beds

Mulch is spot-on for blocking weeds, retaining soil moisture, and protecting plant roots from rapid temperature changes that can cause heaving or drying out.

 

Your chopped up leaves are the ideal mulch for all gardens. And it’s free mulch.

It’s best not to mulch around the crowns of plants until the ground has frozen because it can encourage fungal growth (bleh) or invite rodents to nest there. We’ve had a problem with rodents in the past! Bunnies are cute but only up to a point.

As soon as the ground does freeze, spread the leaves around the plants up to 3 inches thick!

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5.) Make a leaf pile and leave it

This option is for the kids, folks!

 

Don’t hesitate to make a large leaf pile in a convenient spot in your lawn. After all, a leaf pile is basically a compost pile and we love compost!

As long as your pile is strictly leaves (no stinky food compost, please!) it won’t smell or attract rats. And yes, we wrote the books on rats. Holy moly infestation but I’ll save that post for another day.

Cover your pile with a tarp or just let it sit. If you do cover it with a tarp, feel under the pile in a few months and you’ll likely discover heat, even in the midst of winter! This shows that decomposition happens in real life.

One steamy tip? Savvy gardeners place this leaf pile where they desire to create a new garden bed the following year.

Before you cover your leaf pile with a tarp…let the kids jump in it a few times. Okay, maybe a couple of hundred times first!

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6.) Create a leaf pile and cage it

Maybe the leaf pile just isn’t your style. Maybe the grandkids live too far to benefit anyhow.
 
Consider just raking up a pile of leaves and caging it?
 
The cheapest way to do this is to use chicken wire, pallets or boards to enclose your heap of leaves. Kind of like a temporary compost bin.
 
Decomposition works best in a compost bin at least 4-by-4-by-4-by feet. But bigger is always better!
 
If you don’t want to cage your pile, then just throw a tarp over the pile and let it do the decomposition work. You’ll feel the heat under the tarp to know it’s working. 
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7.) Begin full scale composting like a champ

Composting is great for you, the garden and the eco-system. We all win when we compost by keeping scraps that would otherwise end up in landfills.
 
You can make your own bin or purchase one at a decent price. This is the compost bin we use and love! When we did have a rat infestation (long story) the “Rat Man” from the local government agency said this bin saved us from complete and utter disaster!
 
If you choose to make your own, why not build one out of free pallets for a more permanent structure?
 
It will be refreshing to have a universal place to put your veggie and fruit scraps, shredded paper, manure from farm animals, coffee grounds and eggshells.
 
What you never want to do is to add food scraps with meat or fats to your compost bin. You will attract rats and other rodents from miles away!
 
Check the rules of your town or village before creating a compost bin. Better safe than sorry!
 

Tom and I wanted to be able to add lots of food scraps to our bin without any risk of attracting rodents, we got ones with screw-on lids.

 
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8.) Use the leaves for sheet composting in your raised beds or perennial flower beds

Tom and I am passionate about smothering weeds with cardboard. Then we pile roughly 3-5 inches of compost on top allowing it all to break down in the long haul.

 

It certainly allows us to start the season off right the following year. Weedless. Yay!

One spectacular option for your leaves it to dispose of all your leaves in the garden and cover them with either newspaper or cardboard. You can do this in your raised beds, perennial beds or any garden planted directly in the ground.

Then you layer compost or mulch on top. Not only will the weeds be smothered but you’ll add organic matter back into the soil. Everyone wins.

In spring, the goal is to be able to plant directly in the soil when you turn it under. It’s a good idea to spread tarps over the compost to allow that decomposition to happen even faster.

When those big gust of wind come up in winter it’s smart to lay rocks or bricks at the corner of each tarp to keep them in place until spring.

Quick recap: Layer 1.) Leaves  2.) Cardboard or newspaper 3.) Compost or mulch 4.) A tarp.

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9.) Bag and store your leaves for down the road use

If you aren’t ready to use the leaves just as they are, you can always bag the leaves in sturdy garbage bags and hide them behind a shed or on an unseen side of your house.
 
Poke numerous holes in the bag for aeration or they may get soggy and stinky by spring.
 
In the course of time, magic happens inside those black garbage bags as decomposition takes place. You will eventually have black compost or at least semi-decomposed leaves to turn back into the soil for nourishment.
 
Black compost gold! Tom and I love adding this leaf compost back into our depleted soil.
 
My experience is that is takes at least 2 years for the leaves to fully break down in the garbage bag. Sometimes it even takes a 3 full years for the leaves to fully decompose. But when they do, you’re gonna be thrilled!
 
It you would like to decrease that time span, chop the leaves up with your lawn mower first and then place them in garbage bags for decomposition to occur.
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10.) Kick em to the curb….

If none of the above options are working for you, there’s only one thing to do. Rake or blow those leaves to the curb and let the town deal with them.

 

To level with you 100%, when my kids see leaves in the street raked by the meticulous homeowner, they are unable to resist temptation and jump in your pile! So I apologize ahead of time.

And for those of you who bag your leaves? Yep. Guilty is charged. Tom and I will haul your bagged leaves away in our mini-van for future use in our garden. So thanks for bagging them for us!

 

How do you deal with leaves?

Secret Code – Apples

138 Comments

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarLeigh Ann James says

    October 14, 2020 at 11:29 pm

    I’ve never thought about using the leaves! Excellent idea!

    Reply
    • AvatarChristine Kwiat says

      October 17, 2020 at 5:39 am

      We use our leaves for composting too!

      Reply
  2. AvatarBelinda Rowden says

    October 14, 2020 at 11:47 pm

    I don’t mind the leaves. Let them lay, I say. Unless you rack them into a pile so you and your grandkids can have a little fun.

    Reply
  3. Avatarjohn carrabino says

    October 14, 2020 at 11:58 pm

    mulch

    Reply
    • AvatarDebra Rimmer says

      October 16, 2020 at 3:37 pm

      Love you cotests.

      Reply
  4. AvatarSara crisco says

    October 15, 2020 at 12:50 am

    I use the leaves for mulch in my flower beds and around trees and bushes. And also to play in with the grandkids. There is plenty to go around

    Reply
  5. AvatarEstella Osorio says

    October 15, 2020 at 1:04 am

    Very pretty things on the page

    Reply
  6. AvatarMary B says

    October 15, 2020 at 1:20 am

    I grew up with piles of leaves to jump in then a fire and potato’s put in the fire to bake.

    Reply
  7. AvatarChristina Gould says

    October 15, 2020 at 1:25 am

    I like just letting the leaves be. It’s much easier. Thanks for posting!

    Reply
  8. AvatarSherry McCarthy says

    October 15, 2020 at 2:20 am

    I leave them, most blow away during windy days.

    Reply
  9. AvatarBetsy Pauzauskie says

    October 15, 2020 at 2:49 am

    I enjoyed the article. During fall visits by our grandchildren, we have an area set aside for leaves to jump in, leaf fights, etc. However, we use a chipper shredder for the rest of our leaves; as well as acorns, and sticks with less than a 3″ circumference. While we live in SE Texas, notoriously sandy &/or clayish, we’ve managed to amend the leaves/sticks/acorns into our soil to obtain a nice richness and texture. And, by applying the material as a mulch, the drudgery of weeding has been significantly reduced. (What follows happened last summer, when we cut down an old oak tree. Under a branch I found a copperhead snake, which I killed, then absentmindedly threw in with items needing mulching. As I’d forgotten to remove the snake’s head; and, the fangs’ contained venom, I asked my husband to remove the dead snake from the pile. He didn’t find/notice the snake, nor did I find pieces of it in the fine grindings I worked into the soil later. To my surprise, snakes can be recycled! However, I’ll remember to remove the head of poisonous snakes in the future. And, I don’t kill nonpoisonous snakes, which I adore.)

    Reply
  10. AvatarLiz Kilcher says

    October 15, 2020 at 8:25 am

    composting is a good idea

    Reply
  11. AvatarDiane Warstler says

    October 15, 2020 at 8:39 am

    Great suggestions! I plan to use several of them this year.

    Reply
  12. AvatarAlex says

    October 15, 2020 at 12:41 pm

    We never bag leaves anymore. Mow them over, dust to dust!

    Reply
  13. AvatarBill Toutz says

    October 15, 2020 at 2:28 pm

    Thanks

    Reply
  14. AvatarTina MEissner says

    October 15, 2020 at 2:52 pm

    Wow

    Reply
  15. AvatarMichael Coovert says

    October 15, 2020 at 3:09 pm

    Yes, we leave them and just mow over them.

    Reply
  16. AvatarMary Dailey says

    October 15, 2020 at 3:12 pm

    We get tons of oak leaves and mow over most of them!

    Reply
  17. AvatarMaureen says

    October 15, 2020 at 3:25 pm

    In the town where I grew up everyone put the leaves at the curb. It made such a beautiful pathway with the different colors. Now we put the leaves in the compost sometimes.

    Reply
  18. AvatarLucy K says

    October 15, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    Well, all of this is such a wealth of information. I haven’t started raking yet, but I now I am excited to!! Thank you for posting this.

    Reply
  19. AvatarTerry Poage says

    October 15, 2020 at 3:57 pm

    Thanks for all the great ideas with the leaves.

    Reply
  20. AvatarChad Boyd says

    October 15, 2020 at 4:41 pm

    Compost grows the best of everything!

    Reply
  21. AvatarRichard Schott says

    October 15, 2020 at 5:08 pm

    I really like those chairs.

    Reply
  22. AvatarSusan Eaton says

    October 15, 2020 at 6:07 pm

    This is a great idea!

    Reply
  23. AvatarCalshondra Williams says

    October 15, 2020 at 6:50 pm

    As a child I use to enjoy raking all the leaves up which fell from the trees. Thanks for all the wonderful ideas. The compost would be great for making things to grow. I’d love to win. Thanks for the chance.

    Reply
  24. AvatarD Spearman says

    October 15, 2020 at 6:55 pm

    leaf pile for the grandkids and mulch

    Reply
  25. AvatarDarla Peduzzi says

    October 15, 2020 at 7:45 pm

    I like the mow your lawn at the end of the season with the leaves idea. I didn’t realize it helps the soil too. We have a ton of leaves and it would be a big help to do it this way.

    Reply
  26. AvatarJennifer Phillips says

    October 15, 2020 at 8:14 pm

    I love these alternate uses for leaves. I have tried to talk the hubby into doing the mowing one, maybe now he won’t think I’m so crazy after I show him this blog post!!! Thank you!!

    Reply
  27. AvatarAudrey says

    October 15, 2020 at 9:00 pm

    Lots of awesome suggestions

    Reply
  28. AvatarRonald Ash says

    October 15, 2020 at 9:03 pm

    THANK YOU

    Reply
  29. AvatarDana says

    October 15, 2020 at 10:50 pm

    I live in a condo community so the leaves are gathered by the landscapers. But I’m on the board, I can ask what’s done with them!

    Reply
  30. AvatarTiffany Green says

    October 15, 2020 at 10:56 pm

    Very informative! We use leaves for our worm farm!

    Reply
  31. AvatarSue E says

    October 15, 2020 at 11:13 pm

    I read an article like yours making a few of the same points. I told my husband that he didn’t have to go crazy raking up the leaves 🍁 I read him part of the article. Just like I’m going to share this article with him. We now have a mulching lawnmower and he still wants to pick up what he can. I told him that he is actually hurting our lawn and his health! He is in his 70’s and is slowing down. Boy he is stubborn! We have a neighborhood app for our village. Our neighbors ask for some mulch for their gardens. Unfortunately, I can’t garden anymore. Thank you for sharing these points with us! Be safe!

    Reply
  32. AvatarJoe Metzler says

    October 15, 2020 at 11:59 pm

    I’ve been mulching for years. It is the easiest way to deal with leaves and is great for my lawn.

    Reply
  33. AvatarEdward says

    October 16, 2020 at 12:23 am

    nice

    Reply
  34. AvatarBarbara Calder says

    October 16, 2020 at 12:24 am

    Interesting article and great comments. I especially enjoyed the one about the snake in the pile of leaves. I saved leaves for mulching in Colorado and ended up with snakes in my leaves.

    Reply
  35. AvatarDenise Moore says

    October 16, 2020 at 12:36 am

    Love crunching through leaves in the fall.

    Reply
  36. AvatarAngela Sardoni says

    October 16, 2020 at 1:16 am

    Thank you for the information 😄

    Reply
  37. AvatarGerald Dillon says

    October 16, 2020 at 1:22 am

    I absolutely love these chairs, they look amazing and they remind me of the chairs my family had when I was a kid & we used to lounge around them all Summer long. Perfect prize, thank you.

    Reply
  38. AvatarKate Daly says

    October 16, 2020 at 1:48 am

    love the chairs love leaves these make me happy

    Reply
  39. AvatarCharles Irvin says

    October 16, 2020 at 2:30 am

    “AWESOME”!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  40. AvatarTony Platz says

    October 16, 2020 at 2:42 am

    I to use mine for mulch since I live in the city I HAVE TO RAKE THEM BUT i PUT THE IN A BIG BIN BY MY STORAGE SHED ,

    Reply
  41. AvatarSophia-Katherine Wroblewski says

    October 16, 2020 at 3:27 am

    I love the smell of freshly raked leaves. It smells like Fall. After I put them into a great big pile my granddaughters and myself jump in them 🙂 Wonderful memories!!!

    Reply
  42. AvatarJennifer Meyer says

    October 16, 2020 at 4:42 am

    I live in the country so I just mow my leaves

    Reply
  43. AvatarDonna L Holder says

    October 16, 2020 at 5:05 am

    great info

    Reply
  44. Avatarcheryl bastulli says

    October 16, 2020 at 10:16 am

    Love these suggestions on composting!

    Reply
  45. AvatarTerri Bollin says

    October 16, 2020 at 10:24 am

    I love raking them up into big piles and then letting the kids jump in them.

    Reply
  46. AvatarTerri David says

    October 16, 2020 at 12:01 pm

    I love to make a big pile of leaves for my dog to play in. She has so much fun.

    Reply
  47. AvatarMarsheila Kerner says

    October 16, 2020 at 1:11 pm

    All great ideas !!

    Reply
  48. AvatarDonna Evans says

    October 16, 2020 at 1:13 pm

    Living in Florida we don’t have lots of leaves but I enjoy viewing the colors

    Reply
  49. AvatarTammy Thurber says

    October 16, 2020 at 1:32 pm

    Compost, compost, compost!

    Reply
  50. Avatarpaige chandler says

    October 16, 2020 at 2:16 pm

    I like Do Nothing Let Them Be. That’s the easiest and laziest. 🙂

    Reply
  51. AvatarSueEllen Williams says

    October 16, 2020 at 3:13 pm

    Growing up in West Virginia and now living in Texas, I miss all the beautiful leaves changing colors.

    Reply
  52. AvatarSueEllen Williams says

    October 16, 2020 at 3:16 pm

    Growing up in West Virginia and now living in Texas I miss all the beautiful colors as the leaves turn.

    Reply
  53. AvatarThomas P says

    October 16, 2020 at 4:20 pm

    I’ve always been on the side of doing nothing … nature take’s care of them by blowing them away or they get stuck in the plant beds and serve as mulch.

    Reply
  54. Avatarpaula burnham says

    October 16, 2020 at 5:03 pm

    We mow our leaves

    Reply
  55. AvatarKenneth Wainionpaa says

    October 16, 2020 at 5:28 pm

    Wow. I like the curves
    Adam Vodovnik
    Kyle Wainionpaa
    Jim McKenzie

    Reply
  56. Avatarrobert andersch says

    October 16, 2020 at 5:55 pm

    Always mulch the leaves and put them in the flower beds over the winter. Great for the soil.

    Reply
  57. AvatarRachel Mertz says

    October 16, 2020 at 6:12 pm

    I am a first time home owner and this will be my first fall with leaves to compost. They haven’t started falling yet – but I’m so excited to compost this year – my garden is excited too 🙂

    Reply
  58. AvatarEva Mack says

    October 16, 2020 at 6:30 pm

    I love the sun in the leaves.

    Reply
  59. AvatarLeela says

    October 16, 2020 at 7:20 pm

    I always put mine to good use.

    Reply
  60. AvatarJohn Dickson says

    October 16, 2020 at 7:31 pm

    Love this

    Reply
  61. AvatarMindi Eden says

    October 16, 2020 at 7:39 pm

    We moved in May to a new home where we now have a sizable yard. We are now getting quite a few leaves. These tips were awesome & really helpful to me!

    Reply
  62. AvatarLawrence D Weisberg says

    October 16, 2020 at 7:47 pm

    Fortunately, I live in Los Angeles area and avoid raking leaves! Of course I do sometimes have to blow them – usually the leaves from my neighbor’s non-fruiting (unfortunately) avocado tree.

    Reply
  63. AvatarPaul Fahy says

    October 16, 2020 at 8:24 pm

    I mulch some of the leaves into the lawn with our lawn mower, some leaves become mulch in the landscape around plants and the rest goes into the compost pile. I started the compost pile along time ago, in part because I never had room in our green waste bin.

    Reply
  64. AvatarKim says

    October 16, 2020 at 9:01 pm

    I used to live in a house with a backyard so raking leaves was a pain, now I live in a condo and don’t have to do that anymore but great article and tips.

    Reply
  65. AvatarSam says

    October 16, 2020 at 10:30 pm

    The mulch is good idea. I should remember that for the plants around the house.

    Reply
  66. AvatarJennifer Letendre says

    October 17, 2020 at 12:28 am

    leaf blower!

    Reply
  67. AvatarJessica Staley says

    October 17, 2020 at 12:34 am

    We mulch our leaves, I done it since childhood.

    Reply
  68. AvatarDebora Hess says

    October 17, 2020 at 1:22 am

    Always put our leaves in the garden, like in your suggestion.

    Reply
  69. AvatarVona Merritt Parker says

    October 17, 2020 at 2:10 am

    Love your web page!

    Reply
  70. Avatarallyson tice says

    October 17, 2020 at 2:44 am

    i have so many leaves!! i NEED to use them as compost!! never knew this!

    Reply
  71. AvatarSuzanne B says

    October 17, 2020 at 4:12 am

    We pretty much mow over the leaves to break them down. We have a small composter so we stuff a few in there but it is mostly made for kitchen scraps. Use to have a large composter but the dog loved the smell of it and ripped it apart.

    Reply
  72. AvatarSharon LeCompte says

    October 17, 2020 at 11:46 am

    Love the blog. Brings back memories of living in the Poconos in pennsylvania, so much leaves to take. I miss it now that I live in California, the leaves go from green to brown, composting is a bit hard in the area I live in, due to fire dangers.

    Reply
  73. AvatarTrina Snow says

    October 18, 2020 at 1:20 am

    thanks for all the good ideas for composting!

    Reply
  74. AvatarPatricia wright says

    October 18, 2020 at 2:21 am

    One comment about leaves that is important is not to make a pile by the road or in the road. Kids like to hide in the leaves and can get run over. Happens every year that it happens to a kid

    Reply
  75. AvatarRonnell Storie says

    October 18, 2020 at 11:59 am

    Mulch them with lawn mower.

    Reply
  76. AvatarJOHN KENNEDY says

    October 18, 2020 at 4:58 pm

    I blow ’em into the flower beds,let em compost, double mow the yard to chop em up & let them sit. rake some to compost in a leaf pile for next years garden.

    Reply
  77. AvatarKent says

    October 18, 2020 at 10:27 pm

    There is a few I rake but for the most part I mulch them with the lawn mower. My trees are still small and I don’t have a ton of leaves but I do have a lot of trees. Mostly fruit trees that will remain small so I have it pretty good.

    Reply
  78. AvatarChris L says

    October 19, 2020 at 10:24 am

    Already do several of these.

    Reply
  79. Avatarhazlenut says

    October 19, 2020 at 3:52 pm

    Great suggestions. Also, I would love to win the Navy Adirondack chairs for my son’s new home!

    Reply
  80. AvatarBrian M. Teater says

    October 19, 2020 at 3:54 pm

    Great tips!

    Reply
  81. AvatarWendy G says

    October 19, 2020 at 4:39 pm

    I didn’t realize so many things to do with our leaves. Great ideas. Thank you for the information.

    Reply
  82. AvatarItzel Molenaar says

    October 19, 2020 at 4:45 pm

    I don’t get that many leaves here in CA, but this is great for the bit we do have

    Reply
  83. AvatarMelissa Riley says

    October 19, 2020 at 4:51 pm

    Leaves are one of the best things to mix in when making compost. Its nature own way of rejuvenating its own soil for nutrient rich soil.

    Reply
  84. AvatarJamie L Grimes says

    October 19, 2020 at 5:45 pm

    Great info

    Reply
  85. AvatarCarrie says

    October 19, 2020 at 6:06 pm

    We don’t get many leaves in our yard, but these are great ideas for the ones we do get

    Reply
  86. AvatarJack Jones says

    October 19, 2020 at 6:16 pm

    It gets so windy here I never have any leaves to rake, lol.

    Reply
  87. AvatarBrandi Dawn says

    October 19, 2020 at 6:19 pm

    We have been talking about making a leaf pile and hiding dog treats in the bottom. And setting the doggies loose! I like to play with the fall leaves, haha. Otherwise I just let them be.

    Reply
  88. AvatarKari Judd says

    October 19, 2020 at 6:55 pm

    Composting is wonderful for the Garden!

    Reply
  89. AvatarDiane Balding says

    October 19, 2020 at 7:32 pm

    Thank you for the great info

    Reply
  90. AvatarPam W. says

    October 19, 2020 at 8:17 pm

    I do use leaves to mulch the garden. Thanks for all of these other great ideas.

    Reply
  91. AvatarLisa Cress says

    October 19, 2020 at 9:01 pm

    We compost our leaves and are thinking about using some to mulch our asparagus this year. Thanks so much! Take care!

    Reply
  92. AvatarLaura Harrison says

    October 19, 2020 at 9:24 pm

    Most of the leaves that accumulate in my yard are black walnut. Since they have juglone I don’t use them as compost. They just compost where they fall.

    Reply
  93. AvatarBarbara Lima says

    October 19, 2020 at 10:44 pm

    We don’t have that many leaves, they just fly away.

    Reply
  94. AvatarRichard says

    October 20, 2020 at 12:19 am

    Great suggestions, thanks!

    Reply
  95. AvatarLeah Allen says

    October 20, 2020 at 4:39 am

    We already compost our leaves and put it in our garden. Makes for a great soil.

    Reply
  96. Avatarrajee pandi says

    October 20, 2020 at 7:07 am

    Good to know more

    Reply
  97. Avatarsheila messina says

    October 20, 2020 at 2:43 pm

    love the info you share!

    Reply
  98. AvatarLinda Ness says

    October 20, 2020 at 9:55 pm

    Have always used leaves for mulch; even scour the neighborhood for bagged leaves to add to mine. I have lots of plants that need protected from our cold winters too.
    Thanks for the sweepstakes and chance to win.

    Reply
  99. AvatarBetsy says

    October 20, 2020 at 10:09 pm

    this gives you some great ideas. But we don’t get many leaves here.

    Reply
  100. AvatarKristie D. says

    October 21, 2020 at 2:50 am

    So, my husband mows them!! We both hate to rake leaves! I get blisters. Thank you. Happy Fall!

    Reply
  101. AvatarPerlita Mata says

    October 21, 2020 at 2:56 am

    I love the tips! I personally put all of our leaves at the base of our trees to make mulch for the next year. I also use them over my hibiscus plants to give them more protection and make the soil more nutrient for the next year.

    Reply
  102. AvatarCynthia says

    October 21, 2020 at 5:07 am

    We rake the leaves just to play in.

    Reply
  103. AvatarGal Colleen says

    October 21, 2020 at 10:25 am

    We used to make pictures with the leaves and little bit of paint.

    Reply
  104. Avatarjerry clayton says

    October 21, 2020 at 11:51 pm

    I have been blowing/raking them to the curb but I think I will try composting some and rake some over the tree base. thx

    Reply
  105. AvatarDebbie Rhoades says

    October 22, 2020 at 12:53 am

    I learned a lot from this blog post! thank you thank you. I don’t mind raking leaves in the fall, and now I know assorted ways to repurpose them and make them work for me!

    Reply
  106. AvatarAbigail Schuette says

    October 22, 2020 at 2:15 am

    Awesome ideas I had no clue you could use leaves as mulch thank you for the great information!

    Reply
  107. AvatarMinnie says

    October 22, 2020 at 5:30 am

    The read was very interesting, informative, & even educational. The tips on how to use our fall leaves were great. I definitely learned a few things. I enjoyed reading the article.

    Reply
  108. AvatarDonna C says

    October 22, 2020 at 12:59 pm

    We have hundreds of trees so we leave some for the critters, we rake, we blow, we even have some vacuumed.

    Reply
  109. AvatarCrystal Abel says

    October 22, 2020 at 4:50 pm

    Great ideas! I love to use leaves in my compost!

    Reply
  110. AvatarMelissa Storms says

    October 24, 2020 at 9:46 pm

    I have been making leaf mulch and spreading over my garden beds. It looks nice and neat and I feel like I am doing good things for my soil. I have never done this before but have heard it is really good for the soil.

    Reply
  111. AvatarWendy says

    October 25, 2020 at 5:24 am

    I use the leaves in my compost pile. I wish I didn’t have so many pine needles though. They outnumber the leaves probably 100 to 1 lol. I used to have an old mower for chopping the pine needles (I’m a lawn mower killer), although they still take much longer to break down. I too have taken bagged leaves from neighbors to use for compost.

    Reply
  112. AvatarDeeAnn S says

    October 25, 2020 at 4:50 pm

    I always mulch my leaves and spread them in my veggie gardens. And the worms love ’em too. 😉

    Reply
  113. AvatarKayla Harmon says

    October 26, 2020 at 8:49 am

    I lo e the leaves bbut they do suck to clean up.

    Reply
  114. AvatarTracy Suzanne DeLoach says

    October 27, 2020 at 11:37 am

    So many great tips! I still love the thought of jumping in a pile of leaves like I did when I was a kid and had all that energy. lol We chop ours with the mower too. Great idea for composting them. It makes such rich soil for later use.

    Reply
  115. AvatarThanay Binford says

    October 27, 2020 at 7:45 pm

    Composting

    Reply
  116. Avatarkaren weeks says

    October 29, 2020 at 2:10 am

    I sure wish I had some leaves to compost with. I think I’ll work on the carboard idea for pesky weeds. Thank you!

    Reply
  117. AvatarTonya says

    October 29, 2020 at 7:23 pm

    I put some in my compost bin and leave the rest as “natural” mulch…aka too lazy to rake.

    Reply
  118. AvatarJudy Rittenhouse says

    October 30, 2020 at 12:26 pm

    Great comosting tips…I have a ton of leaves to still rake…great ideas!

    Reply
    • AvatarJuanita K Russell says

      October 30, 2020 at 6:38 pm

      no leaves here!

      Reply
  119. AvatarJuanita K Russell says

    October 30, 2020 at 6:38 pm

    no leaves here!

    Reply
  120. AvatarAlicia T. says

    October 31, 2020 at 2:20 am

    My grandmother taught me how to compost. Great information!

    Reply
  121. Avatarelizabeth miller says

    November 1, 2020 at 5:31 pm

    I always cheat and just keep mowing until the leaves stop. We have a blower but I can not stand the smell of it running.

    Reply
  122. AvatarRosanne says

    November 6, 2020 at 8:23 am

    I was raking @ home today after a visit to a Japanese Garden to see the fall colors

    Reply
  123. AvatarJulie Dolphin says

    November 7, 2020 at 1:53 pm

    I love the season of fall and all the pretty leaves on the trees. My daughter loves making piles when they fall and hiding in them.

    Reply
  124. AvatarLeAnn Harbert says

    November 8, 2020 at 7:04 pm

    Good advice, I want to start a compost pile.

    Reply
  125. AvatarMichael Mobley says

    November 9, 2020 at 1:28 am

    Nice info

    Reply
  126. AvatarPatricia Wheeler says

    November 11, 2020 at 3:42 am

    This is a great article! I love using the leaves in my garden. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  127. AvatarSarah Oswald says

    November 18, 2020 at 11:44 pm

    i mow the leaves and grass and it stays on the ground when my kids where little we raked them and they stuffed different bags that were lawn decorations.

    Reply
  128. Avataryumi says

    November 22, 2020 at 8:50 am

    Thank you for the great info with the leaves!

    Reply
  129. AvatarJoanna says

    November 23, 2020 at 1:38 pm

    I use my riding lawn mower to shred and blow my leaves into the beds as mulch. no raking for me!

    Reply
  130. AvatarTrish F says

    November 23, 2020 at 7:12 pm

    That’s what my husband does, waits till all of the leaves have fallen before mowing that last mow of the season, chops them all up tiny or blows them to the perimeters of the yard. Sure helps on the back. I had heard if you pile them up for compost & throw a little lime on them, they turn into soil quicker, I’ve never tried it though.

    Reply
  131. AvatarJohn Moldt says

    November 26, 2020 at 3:57 am

    Thanks for the tips

    Reply
  132. AvatarRichard Hicks says

    November 28, 2020 at 8:07 pm

    I have always used them for compost around the house. It is free!

    Reply
  133. AvatarRose Reeder says

    November 29, 2020 at 1:20 pm

    We always mow our leaves. Secret Code – Apples

    Reply
  134. AvatarTheresa Jenkins says

    November 29, 2020 at 6:27 pm

    We wait for the grandkids to be done with their fun and then Pap rides the mower to mulch

    Reply
  135. AvatarAmber Lee Kolb says

    November 29, 2020 at 6:28 pm

    Great ideas! It took us so long to rake our lawn here in Michigan but we were blessed with some beautiful weather the day we did it. We will definitely have to mow first next year.

    Reply

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about laura sproull

about laura sproull

Hi! I'm Laura and hail from Western New York. I consider myself a lifelong learner who loves gardening with a 360 degree view. Thanks for stopping by!

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