What to Do with Fall Leaves (Wet or Dry)
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Fall leaves may seem like a nuisance when they cover your lawn or clog your pond and fountain, but they are also one of the best free resources for your garden. Instead of tossing them away, you can turn leaves into compost, mulch, or leaf mold. Each option improves your soil and helps your plants thrive. Let’s explore the best ways to repurpose wet and dry leaves this season.
Why You Shouldn’t Waste Wet Leaves
Wet leaves can suffocate grass, cause slippery walkways, and clog ponds, fountains, and pumps. So, once you've scooped the leaves out of your pond, what can you do with them? They are packed with minerals that trees pull up from deep in the soil, making them a nutrient-rich resource. Instead of bagging them up, put them to work in your garden.
Shredding Leaves for Faster Breakdown
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Rake leaves into piles and shred them with a mower, leaf shredder, or a reverse-function leaf blower.
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Shredded leaves decompose faster than whole leaves.
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Smaller pieces prevent matting, which can block oxygen and water from reaching the soil.
Garden Uses for Fall Leaves
Leaf Mulch
If you don’t want to compost your leaves, you can shred the leaves and use them in place of mulch on the surface of your soil.
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Acts as a protective layer on top of soil.
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Benefits: controls weeds, insulates plants in winter, retains moisture, prevents erosion, and feeds earthworms.
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How to Make Leaf Mulch: Collect shredded, dry leaves and store them in bags or bins to keep moisture out.
Leaf Mold
If leaf mulch gets wet, it starts to decompose and become leaf mold. Leaf mold is compost made up entirely of leaves as opposed to other organic material like grass or green plant clippings.
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Works as a soil conditioner. It improves water retention and soil structure, even though it has fewer nutrients than compost.
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How to Make Leaf Mold: Keep leaves moist in a pile, bin, or perforated bag. Add water occasionally and allow them to decompose over a few months.
Leaf Compost
Leaf compost is often called “black gold” by gardeners. It has a very high mineral content and is full of microbes that feed soil life; it’s better than manure.
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Improves both clay soils by adding air spaces and sandy soils by holding more moisture.
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Best Leaves for Composting: ash, maple, fruit trees, poplar, willow. Slower to decompose: oak, beech, holly, chestnut.
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How to Compost Leaves: Layer shredded leaves with nitrogen-rich materials like grass clippings or kitchen scraps. Keep the mix moist, turn every few weeks, and let microbes do the work.
Keep Leaves Out of Your Pond or Fountain
Fallen leaves that end up in water features decompose quickly and can clog pumps, reduce water clarity, and fuel algae growth. Use pond netting, skimmers, or regular cleanouts to keep your water feature healthy.
Final Thoughts
Fall leaves do not have to be a headache. Whether you turn them into mulch, mold, or compost, they are one of the easiest ways to improve your garden for free. Just remember to keep them out of your pond or fountain, and your backyard will be healthier and more beautiful year-round.
