Every experienced farmer and ordinary gardener is trying to get as much harvest as possible, while spending the minimum amount of money. That is why top dressing of organic origin is so widely used in agricultural technology. In this article, we will tell you how to use fallen leaves as fertilizer.
Every autumn there is such a problem as the disposal of fallen leaves. However, few people know that litter is an excellent organic fertilizer. The composition of the fallen leaves no longer contains nutritional components, however, it contains a large amount of fiber and some trace elements (phosphorus, nitrogen, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, potassium and iron).
With proper use of foliage, you can improve the structure of the soil, as well as increase the fertility of the land in the garden and garden. Fertilizer from fallen leaves can loosen the ground, as well as saturate it with moisture and oxygen. In addition, earthworms are always found in the humus formed from the foliage. And these are the most welcome guests in the garden and garden.
For the preparation of fertilizer, you can use the leaves of any plants - from the forest, birch, walnut, oak, poplar, tops, etc. The leaves from the walnut have proven themselves very well, but they do not grow in every region of Russia. It is not recommended to take leaves from garden shrubs and fruit trees, since in this case there is a high probability of infection with various plant diseases and damage by harmful insects. However, they can also be adapted to work.
Fallen leaves as fertilizer
Fallen leaves can be used as fertilizer in a variety of ways. We will discuss this in more detail below.
Mulch
This is the easiest way. Typically, leaf mulch is used for ground dressing of fruit trees and berry bushes. The whole procedure goes like this:
- The ground is dug around the tree within a radius of 1 meter.
- After that, about 20 cm of earth is removed. It is necessary to take out the soil very carefully so as not to damage the root system of the trees.
- Add 0.5 kg of chicken manure to the resulting hole, and then fill it with leaves.
- Pour in some water.
- In this form, the dug tree should stand for 3 days, after which the hole must be covered with earth.
Thus, apple, pear, cherry, apricot, plum, walnut, gooseberry, raspberry, etc. are well fertilized.
Compost
Another way to use leaves as fertilizer is compost. It is very easy to prepare, you need to follow only a few rules. The recipe for this is:
- In autumn, dig a hole measuring 1 m by 1 m. The depth should not be more than 1.5 m.
- Gather the leaves and put them in an earthen hole.
- Thoroughly tamp and fill the whole pile with water, then tamp again.
- Cover with soil 20-30 cm thick.
- To speed up the process of leaf decay, you can prepare a solution of nitrogen fertilizer and pour it over the hole.
In the spring, it is fashionable to plant tomatoes, peppers, cabbage and other vegetables in the place of this pit. But in the fall, after harvesting, you need to dig a hole and scatter the resulting compost from rotted leaves throughout the area. If there is some compost left in the earthen pit, then it can be covered with earth and left for the next year.
When preparing compost, keep in mind that leaves are best taken from the forest and away from roads. Near large highways and cities, the soil is harmful, so the foliage may also contain harmful components.
Ash
Infected leaves of shrubs and fruit trees are recommended to be thrown out immediately. However, they can also be used as fertilizer. If there are a lot of infected leaves, collect them in a pile and burn them. After collecting the ashes - it is great for foliar feeding of plants.
The ash is completely safe and nutritious. It is saved in it.
Have a good gardener even last year's leaves benefit. If you burned all the fallen leaves in the fall, you will certainly regret it in the spring. True, there are two completely opposite opinions about the advisability of collecting leaves. Opponents of collecting leaves believe that pathogens and pests hide in fallen leaves, and they must be disposed of. Others insist that fallen leaves are a valuable addition to the soil, and they also do not allow the ground to freeze, and spring shoots begin their development right under the snow.
We will assume that thanks to conscientious care, there are no pests on the leaves in our garden. So what are the benefits of fallen leaves?
1. Leafy humus
After collecting the leaves, moisten them, lay them tightly and tamp. There are several container options: a special design for leaves, a meter by a meter or more with an open top, or thick polyethylene bags for garden waste, punctured in several places.
You can also buy special bags for leafy humus, which are sold at garden centers. After collecting the leaves, place them in a secluded corner of the site while maintaining high humidity. Young humus will mature in 0.5 - 1 year, and aged humus can be obtained in 1.5 - 2 years.
2. Mulch
Place wet fallen leaves on unoccupied areas of the ground. They will become a natural mulch, preventing weeds from growing, leaching minerals from the soil, and weathering. Clay soils will not form a hard crust as the mulch blocks out the sun's rays.
Surface and soil bacteria thrive in the mulch layer and use the green mass of the mulch as an additional source of beneficial nutrients. Also, a layer of organic mulch provides a pantry for earthworms and similar soil animals that improve soil structure.
With the onset of spring, collect the leaves with a rake or simply dig with soil.
3. Covering material
Dry leaves can be used as a heat-insulating material for sheltering roses for the winter. In the same way, you can cover hydrangeas and other heat-loving shrubs, as well as plants in pots.
4. Express compost
Chop and mix fallen leaves from deciduous trees along with annual weeds. Remove roots, flowers and seeds from weeds. Put everything in plastic compost bags. Shake the bag from time to time or mix its contents to make the compost uniform.
When decomposition is complete, you will have fine, high quality soil for tender plants. Keep in mind that the leaves of deciduous trees, such as birch, oak, maple, hazel, and fruit trees decompose very quickly (less than a year). The leaves are evergreen and the needles decompose before 3 years, so this material is better not to use. And if there is nothing else, then to speed up the process, be sure to grind them.
The fall season will start very soon. The magnificent spectacle of changing colors will be able to amaze any viewer. But, at the same time, it is worth looking at the foliage not only as a beautiful decoration. Think about how leaves can help your garden. If a lot of leaves have fallen in your yard, why not put them to good use?
Eight ways to use autumn leaves
The colorful foliage precedes the time when the leaves will rush to the ground. They will rustle underfoot and give a pleasant smell, the wind will sometimes push them to create crazy dance figures. However, autumn leaves can be considered freely available organic fertilizer lying right in your yard. Most importantly, do not use leaves affected by diseases.
Mulch
Use the leaves as a protective mulch. The leaves are able to form a good thermal insulation cover for the safe wintering of perennial plants or root crops in the ground. The layer of leaves allows garlic to be planted without sprouting and prevents plant tubers from coming out of the soil during freeze and thaw cycles.
Weed control
Use the leaves as an opportunity to control weeds during the spring. Chopped or left whole, the leaves are a great way to make mulch for your vegetables, berries, and ornamental shrubs. Not only do they effectively suppress weeds and help retain soil moisture, but they will also prevent the spread of new weeds.
Compost
Make compost from the leaves to enrich the soil with nitrogen. Alternate a 7-10 cm layer of old leaves with a 2-3 cm layer of fresh grass or other green leaf waste. If you want to speed up decomposition, then grind the leaves.
a photo:leaf compost
Leaf compost is a special kind of leaf compost that some gardeners love. This method of making compost consists of collecting the leaves and storing them in plastic bags or baskets. Keep the leaves moist and let the fungus begin to multiply in this environment. After two or three years, the leaves will decompose into a dark substance containing a large amount of minerals.
crushed leaves
The simplest solution. In the crushed form, the leaves quickly decompose in the spring and add valuable organic matter and minerals to the soil. The leaves are a rich source of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and other trace elements that tree roots extract from deep within the soil. Leaves contain twice as much minerals as manure. The vast amount of organic matter they contain can be used to improve soil structure. Humus can lighten heavy clay soils and increase moisture retention in dry, sandy soils. No gardener should miss this opportunity for free soil fertilization.
a photo:Storage of root crops
If you have a cool, damp place, then you can store carrots, beets, and other root vegetables between layers of dry, crispy leaves. Be careful not to let each layer of leaves get too damp.
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Many children have a lot of fun jumping into big piles of leaves. Once upon a time, the leaves were very often collected with a rake, forming huge piles, which were then burned. The smell of burnt leaves, winter apples and baked potatoes is sure to evoke your memories. So why don't you give your children and grandchildren the same wonderful holiday.
In autumn, the time of leaf fall comes and, in connection with this, every autumn, dear gardeners, we are tormented by the same question: how better use fallen leaves?
Collect it or not? Take it out of the site or store it in a compost heap, plant it in beds, bury it away from the garden or burn it?
Collection fallen leaves takes not only a lot of energy from summer residents, but also time. Among us there are many supporters of both leaf harvesting and its opponents.
Proponents of cleaning fallen leaves it is said that it is an excellent place for the wintering of pathogens of many plant diseases, as well as insect pests. In a compost heap, leaf litter cakes and rots very slowly and it will take several years to wait for the “death” of possible pests.
Opponents of harvesting very convincingly prove that the leaves cover the roots of trees from frost and, when decomposed, improve the composition of the soil and its structure, and also that fallen leaves are not only an excellent fertilizer, but also food for earthworms, which are also in the process. their vital activity improve the structure of the soil.
Although, by and large, the question of what to do with fallen leaves in their own garden is up to everyone to decide, but I would like to offer you several options for a fairly rational use of the collected leaves.
leaf humus
Leaf humus can be prepared from fallen leaves, which will serve as an effective tool that can improve the structure of the soil on the site.
There is almost as much nitrogen and phosphorus in leaf humus as in cow dung. In addition, such a tool is an excellent mulch, as well as an ideal acidifier, which is so necessary for acidophilic plants.
For its preparation, it is best to take the litter of deciduous trees available on your site. You can, of course, use conifers, but in this case the process of decay of waste will be slowed down.
You can get good leafy humus in a fairly short time. To do this, in the fall, collect fallen leaves, tamp them well into tight bags, then fill the contents with plenty of water and tie the bags, piercing them in several places for better ventilation.
Leaf humus harvested in autumn can be used already next spring when planting fruit and vegetable crops, and it can also be added to compost.
If you have a forest nearby, then you can successfully use the fallen leaves of such trees as: alder, birch, maple.
Alder litter is considered the most valuable. Birch and maple have slightly fewer nutrients.
But fallen aspen leaves (despite the fact that they contain a lot of nutrients) decompose very poorly, as they lay down rather tightly and stick together. They often have to be loosened and, moreover, additionally sprinkled with lime or chalk, due to their acidic reaction.
Oak litter is also very dense and hard, containing a lot of tannins, which do not allow it to overheat quickly and well.
Therefore, aspen and oak litter is best used in small quantities and only mixed with the foliage of other tree species.
Mulching
Fallen leaves can be used as a natural mulch.
To do this, in the fall, it is enough for you to spread the wet foliage over the empty areas of the soil, and with the advent of spring, either rake them, or simply dig them along with the soil.
In this case, leaf litter will protect the soil from weathering, leaching of useful substances from it, and also suppress the growth of weeds.
We warm perennials
Dry fallen leaves will serve as a good warming and heat-insulating material with which you can cover hydrangeas, chrysanthemums, roses and other heat-loving shrubs for the winter.
Attract hedgehogs
With the help of fallen leaves, you can attract hedgehogs to your site, which are happy to eat pest larvae.
To do this, simply do not remove the leaves along the fences and around the trees located in remote areas of your garden, so that these animals would like to settle in them.
Add to compost
Shredded fallen leaves can be added to the compost heap, especially if you fill it with a lot of green waste and plant debris in the fall.
In this case, they will play the role of rough "brown" material and balance the share of the latter.
For high beds
If you have high beds, containers or boxes for growing vegetables and berries in your garden, then fallen leaves can be used as bulk material, which can improve the quality and structure of the soil.
For these purposes, immediately after emptying the beds, either simply pour some pre-shredded fallen leaves into the boxes, or mix the collected litter with green residues, compost and other materials used to fill high beds.
Fill them with chopped fallen leaves.
We make decorative compositions
Agree, fallen leaves look great against the background of dirt paths.
Therefore, if you have a desire to make your garden beautiful and unpretentious, just do not remove the litter.
Well, if you are also a creative person, then you can make an excellent decorative composition from the collected leaves.
In general, dear gardeners, when deciding what to do with fallen leaves, I advise you to proceed from considerations of your own convenience.
See you soon, dear friends!
Fallen leaves in autumn create an incredibly pleasant rustle under your feet while walking through the garden, park or forest. The temperature is gradually decreasing, and it's time to prepare the garden for winter: harvest apples, pumpkins and chrysanthemums. And what to do with the leaves?
Those who are engaged in organic farming and are fond of everything related to the cultivation of vegetables, fruits and berries without the addition of chemical fertilizers will be interested in information about the benefits of fallen autumn leaves, about their use for making mulch for flowers, bushes, trees and garden beds, and as well as methods of their preparation and storage.
The yellow and red leaves that the trees got rid of are replete with minerals that the trees have extracted from the depths of the soil since spring. They serve as food for earthworms and beneficial microorganisms in the garden. Leaves lighten heavy soils and help sandy soil retain moisture. They serve as an excellent shelter for the soil around flowers and a heat insulator for delicate plants. They add carbon to the compost, which balances the nitrogen.
There are several ways to make dry leaves work for your garden.
The benefits and preparation of fallen leaves for use in fertilizing the garden and vegetable garden
Shredded leaves take up much less space
First of all, try to chop up as many leaves as you can. If you do not have a special unit for grinding them, you can successfully use a lawn mower. Just wait until the maximum amount of foliage has fallen from the trees onto the lawn, and drive over them several times with the lawn mower. Make sure that each leaf is cut into at least five (or even better, ten) parts. Such grinding is triple beneficial. Firstly, it increases the area for access and work of beneficial microorganisms. Secondly, the crushed leaves do not stick together in a continuous, rainproof layer, which allows air to penetrate through them. Thirdly, you will significantly reduce the volume of fallen leaves.
Until it rains and the weather is dry, you can collect the crushed leaves in bags for later use in the spring. They will be an excellent raw material for creating mulch (a protective layer on the ground around plants). By the way, such a mulch looks great in spring, bringing unique colors to the garden, and invaluable benefits for the soil. Many use .
The rest of the leaves can be used as a covering material that protects plants from the winter cold. For example, for roses or for a bed with garlic planted in the fall. Also, with dry autumn leaves, beds can be filled with great success by adding organic fertilizers or (if available) compost. The layer thus created should be lightly pierced with a pitchfork to allow air to penetrate to the soil (for aerobic bacteria to work). By spring, there may be almost nothing left of this layer, but the plants planted in the garden will receive soil enriched with “food” that is useful for them.
Rakes speed up the process of collecting leaves
There is not always time to grind leaves in the garden. Often you have to rake whole leaves and transfer, for example, to a compost heap. For this, use special fan rakes or rakes-nozzles on your hands to conveniently grab a large amount of fallen leaves and transfer them to another place.
By the way, the leaves added to the compost perfectly balance the level of nitrogen in the heap, created, for example, from discarded food waste or freshly cut grass. The leaves also keep the compost from compacting and getting wet.
Leaf crushers
If you have a large garden and an unmeasured amount of fallen leaves each fall, it might be worth considering buying a leaf shredder. What is it for? Your garden will benefit from this. And here's how.
Recycled foliage can insulate heat-loving plants for the winter. By creating a fifteen-centimeter blanket, you will protect them from winter frosts and cold winds. If you cover vegetables that are not afraid of frost (carrots, cabbage, leeks and beets) with dry autumn leaves, you can dig them up throughout the winter (if necessary, of course).
If you leave the crushed leaves in the beds, they will be a great treat for earthworms, who, by eating them, will do a lot of useful work in your garden, digging and loosening it for you and turning the soil into humus.
Leaves can be used to make special compost. Collect crushed or whole leaves in a large, fenced pile. If the leaves are crushed, they will rot faster, and if not, then after 1-3 years the fungi will still do their job, and the leaves will rot, turning into compost, which smells just like fallen leaves in the forest. Such compost is rich in calcium and magnesium, and can absorb three to five times its weight in water, similar to sphagnum.
Not all fallen autumn leaves are created equal.
Be careful with the leaves of some trees. , eucalyptus, camphor tree contain substances that slow down or prevent the growth of plants. They can be used in the garden and garden, but only after passing through the composting process.
