How to Start Composting Leaves (and Why You Should)
Once all those beautiful fall leaves fall into your yard, they are often treated like waste, but these leaves are the start of nutrient-rich garden soil and a great habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects. Composting the leaves instead of throwing them away will save you money on removals and help you make compost that you can use in your garden next year. If you want to improve your soil and save on store-bought fertilizer and compost, here’s how to get started.
Why are leaves important to the garden?
The first thing to remember is that the leaves can be a valuable habitat for native species of bees, butterflies and spiders. If you have areas with leaves that don’t need to be cleaned, leaving a few leaves for your friends in the garden will help maintain a healthy garden ecosystem. Some gardeners prefer to rake the leaves onto a tarp or cloth and drag the pile to an inconspicuous corner of the yard to serve as a less intrusive habitat.
How to start composting leaves
Whichever leaf removal option you choose, they will eventually become an obstacle to using your garden for recreation or growing flowers and crops. This is where composting comes in. Using a leaf chopper will speed up the composting process and also help with mixing since you can add grass clippings or other organic material with less turning over of the pile. This means your compost will take up less space because the remulched leaves tend to pack more tightly. But this is not a necessary component of success.
For compost storage, the best way to encourage the composting process is with a basket (or baskets) or glass . You can make your own version of any of these if you’re comfortable, but an important component of compost storage is that it creates a deep pile of organic material so that the internal moisture of the pile will be maintained. Maintaining the rotting process requires a balanced moisture level, so good drainage is also important. Try to stay away from any surfaces that might get dirty, like concrete, because the lint will drip onto any surface you place it on.
To balance the pH of your soil, you must add nitrogen-rich organic matter because the leaves themselves are quite acidic and provide the necessary element of carbon in a well-balanced soil. Grass clippings, coffee grounds, vegetable clippings, green plant clippings, and fruits are all good candidates for adding the nitrogen element to your compost. You can use a soil pH test kit seasonally to check the pH of your compost and make sure it’s balanced. They consist of a test strip and a color chart. Place the test strip in the compost and let it absorb moisture for a few minutes, then compare the color of the test strip with the table.
How to keep compost healthy
You should turn it over (or turn it over) every two weeks. Using a fork or shovel, turn the bottom layer over and mix the top layer. This will keep the moisture level relatively even and promote more even decomposition. It can also help prevent leaves from becoming tangled or forming clumps that don’t let air through and retain moisture.
Keeping the compost moist, but not waterlogged, is important for the process to continue. In rainy weather, raising the pile off the ground with a slatted base can help control moisture. You can also add a few dry leaves to the pile if it gets too wet from rain or snow. Using dry leaves or straw on top of the pile as insulation to keep the pile from freezing in winter will keep the microbes active in the bin and help keep things dry if too much rain falls. If the climate is cold, you should also try to place your pile in a sunnier part of the yard to keep it warm; However, soil microbes won’t die completely in the cold, so don’t worry if there is a frost. You will still end up with some compost, it just might take a little longer.