Leaf Composting

Leaf Composting

Love Your Lawn – and the Environment!

This fall, instead of buying bags of mulch or applying fertilizer to ready your garden for winter, why not try a free, easy and environmentally friendly alternative – leaf composting!

Using your own fallen leaves to mulch your lawn and garden is a simple way to provide your plants, bushes, vegetable garden and, yes, even your lawn, with a protective layer to withstand the winter ahead and ultimately help Mother Nature return nutrients to the soil to support your plants for their spring revival.  They also serve to suppress weeds – a welcome bonus for any gardener who has fought that losing battle!

Mulched leaves can be left directly on your lawn as you mulch them.  You can simply use your lawnmower to mow over the leaves (don’t wait until the piles are too deep!) and leave them in place as the mower shreds them, or you can set your leaf blower on reverse, attach the bag, and watch as it quickly shreds the leaves into small pieces.  The smaller the pieces the faster they will decompose over the winter.  Use your shredded leaves as mulch for all your plants and bushes, too – it’s free, it reduces energy consumption and the use of fertilizers, and it’s oh so good for the environment!

If you decide to go this eco-friendly route this fall, a few extra tips:

  • If you choose to mow the fallen leaves do it weekly so they don’t pile up too much.  You don’t want to try battling mounds of leaves with a mower! 
  • Don’t leave a thick layer of whole leaves on your lawn – that will kill the grass.  Leaves must be mulched into small pieces for your lawn to reap the benefits of this method.
  • Lawn mowers with specific mulching capabilities make the job a little easier, but any kind of mower will do.
  • Use the extra mulched leaves on your garden beds – your plants will thank you.
  • Mulched leaves are also excellent for your compost bin – they provide the brown in the brown/green mix.  Oak leaves are acidic, so use them in moderation in your compost bin.

So, if you see Sea Cliff lawns lovingly coated in a layer of shredded leaves this autumn, know that someone in that home is caring for the environment, caring for their lawn, and making our beautiful Village just a little better place for the Earth.