A Free Gift For All When Fall Autumn Leaves Fall "When the leaves of fall rain down, think of the fall leaves as a crop instead of a nuisance" Fall is just around the corner and soon the greens of summer will give way and turn to brilliant shades of yellow, orange and crimson. We enjoy the colors, the cooler temperatures and crisp mornings. A chance to get out and enjoy when the leaves do fall in all their splendor. We even plan special outings just to see them. Then • • • THEY FALL! And oh how great the fall. They cover the yard and driveway. The leaves of fall pile up along the fences and in the bushes along the house. They clog our gutters and blow inside every time we open the garage door. Then we sigh - and grab a rake. We rake and rake and rake and then we rake some more. Then the kids and/or winds come and !#!#!#, and then we sigh some more! Fall would be my favorite time of the year if weren't for the • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • LEAVES, LEAVES, LEAVES! They're driving me mad - mad I say! Evaluate Your Reasons To Harvest Leaves Is this you? Does the very thought of fall autumn leaves drive you mad? Perhaps, it's time to take a moment to re-evaluate the process of collecting leaves and why we go to great lengths when the leaves do fall. Or perhaps why we should do it. From a therapeutic standpoint, it would be an easy thing to write 3, 4 or more articles easily on the topic. But that is not why we're here. The very act of raking the colorful leaves of fall is one which perhaps is viewed and approached the wrong way by many. As a gardener, would you well up with indignation at the thought of harvesting a crop of sweet corn, tomatoes or beans? You'd ask - "Did you just fall and hit your melon?" As a a non-gardening outdoors lover, would you show consternation at the prospect of having to cut a bunch of carefully grown and highly scented flowers to adorn your table? "Don't be ridiculous, you silly Hillbilly", you'd say. A Case For Leaves The very act to harvest leaves is one that many, if not most folks, view as a part of fall that they would just as soon not have to deal with. The fall leaves are something that causes many to view as a nuisance to deal with. I, on the other hand, view them as a crop that has been patiently growing and maturing all summer long. Just waiting for this moment to present themselves as a free gift. A gift that is simply jam-packed with vitamins, minerals and micro-nutrients, pulled from far below the reach of the rest of our garden plants. These are deposited in the leaves, most of which are left behind as the tree starts preparing for winter by shutting off and shedding the foliage that it has labored on all season long. And yes, for the vast majority of home owners and gardeners, the fall autumn leaves will be organic leaves. The vast majority of homeowners will not, and can not spray their trees with harsh chemicals due to the high cost and expensive equipment needed. The elements in fall autumn leaves, many of which take a lot of time to break down and process into "plant-usable" forms, are already processed and ready to be reconfigured into other forms of plant life. The tree has done that for you. All that is needed from you is to move them to a place where theses elements can be used by the plants that need them. Just as your summer vegetables provide you with much needed nutrition, so to do the fall autumn leaves provide your garden plants with much needed nutrition. And then there's the organic matter that is provided when the leaves do fall. The cellulose in leaves is not broken down quickly. Therefore, they provide an excellent source of organic "sponge" to the soil to trap and hold moisture and nutrients that could, and probably would be lost to plants otherwise. A Free Crop To Harvest When we harvest leaves, we are not, or should not, be simply collecting the fall leaves. We should be approaching the task as an opportunity to harvest a crop of soil amendments and plant nutrition to be used for our gardens benefit. A crop which is freely given and for which we had no, or little part in producing. We neither tilled the soil, trellised, thinned, watered, cultivated, or in any other way had much of a hand in producing the crop of fall autumn leaves. Yet, they are freely given in the form of organic leaves to benefit our gardens and landscape if we will but do our part to take advantage of the leaves of fall. Whole Leaves Can Be A Detriment Or Benefit In their original form, fall autumn leaves can be invaluable. But also, in their whole unbroken form, the leaves of fall are inherently slow to break down and, under the right circumstance, can be a detriment to plants. The very nature of the shape of fall autumn leaves causes them to mat, or plate together in layers, shed and resist the passage of water into the soil. In and of itself, this can be used to our advantage in the right circumstance. If we are looking for a means of mulching the soil in such a way that the mulch will last an entire season or more, and are willing to provide irrigation when needed in the form of soaker hoses placed below the fall leaves, we can enjoy "weed-free" and cool soil all season long. Yet, the needs of our plants are met. A good example of this is the care of Clematis, which enjoys warm, sunny days, but requires cool feet if it is to thrive. Another case to harvest leaves and for using organic leaves in their unbroken form might be in providing splash control from the falling rain. Many plants, especially many herbs, are especially susceptible to fungal and bacterial diseases, which are easily spread and multiplied by rain splashing contaminated soil up from below the leaves. Many forms of mulch will provide the protection needed, but the leaves of fall left whole, will provide an insulator that does not quickly break down. Break Up Leaves Before Incorporating However, in the case of incorporation into the soil, fall autumn leaves can be quite slow to break down and provide their treasure of nutrients. For this reason, I highly recommend breaking up the organic leaves into much smaller sized pieces. This is a task that is easily accomplished in a variety of ways. From years of experience, I personally recommend three: A lawn mower with a bagging attachment. This is my number one "go to" when fall leaves fall because; 1) it's fast, 2) I can harvest a lot of fall autumn leaves in a hurry and 3) the grass is still growing. Therefore, I harvest the fall leaves and collect the cut grass at the same time, thereby adding a small amount of nitrogen material to the leaves to help them break down more quickly. This is especially important if you plan on composting your leaves. I normally compost a lot of the leaves of fall. But not until I've mulched all that needs mulched for the fall. A blower/vacuum with bagger. If you can obtain a "blower/vac" that also has a built in shredder, so much the better. A shredding blower/vac will break the fall leaves into very small pieces, thereby allowing them to break down very quickly. This is a fantastic option if you plan to add the leaves of fall directly to the garden to dig in. However, a blower/vac is a very slow way to harvest leaves unless you rake them into piles or windrows first. But, it is a great way (maybe the best way) to remove the leaves that have piled up along fences and shrubs. A stationary leaf grinder of shredder/grinder. I find these to be a good choice when working with a large pile of fall autumn leaves. Often, I prefer to rake leaves into large piles for various reasons (usually the granddaughters). When I am ready to process these leaves, I could, and have used either a blower/vac or the bagging mower to harvest leaves further. However, a stationary shredder placed near the pile makes quick work out of processing the organic leaves.
Add Some "Fluff When Using The Leaves Of Fall As Mulch No mater what form they take, fall autumn leaves can compact and mat together, forming a barrier to the passage of water and air over time. Now you could occasionally "fluff up" the leaves using a fork, cultivator or other means, in order to keep air and water passing through them. Or you could provide some natural "fluff" and aeration to the fall leaves as you process them. One of the best methods I have found is to obtain a bale or two of clean straw in the fall as the leaves are turning. Straw is readily available in most areas at this time as a fall decorating material. However, I suggest that you seek out a farm supply store, if one is available in your area, because the cost will be much less than at most of those big box, hobby or decorating stores. Spread a thin layer of straw over an area of yard that has a lot of leaves covering it. Then mow them together or rake them together to run through a shredder. This will chop and mix both the straw and leaves together in a uniform mix. The straw will provide aeration for the fall leaves, make them resistant to compaction and allow water to pass more easily through the mulch. The straw decomposes much slower than the leaves, therefore allowing the mulch to last an entire season or more. I like using the leaves of fall as a mulch for overwintering many of my potted hardy plants and the addition of straw to the leaves keeps the leaves from compacting and smothering the potted plants. Organic Leaves? For those gardening organically, fall autumn leaves can be considered "organic" under most circumstances because, as stated earlier, most homeowners cannot afford to have their trees sprayed with harsh chemicals, nor do they usually have the equipment necessary to do so. However, in order for your leaves to be truly organic leaves, you will also need to avoid spreading harsh chemicals on the ground beneath them as well. The reason for this is simple. Many of the chemicals spread on the ground beneath the tree may be absorbed through the tree's roots and when considering this, consider also the spread of the roots. A tree with a canopy of 40 or 50 feet will have a root system that may extend many times that distance. Therefore, if your neighbor uses chemicals on their yard that is anywhere near the tree, and you harvest leaves from that tree, you may inadvertently collect and spread chemicals from your neighbor into your own soil. When it comes to organics and organic leaves in particular, remember also that one of the characteristics that makes trees in general so desirable is their ability to pull vast quantities of pollutants from the air. Many of these pollutants will be deposited in the leaves and therefore be redeposited in the leaves of fall. Therefore, if you live in an area that has high concentrations of airborne industrial pollutants, your leaves may not fit your concept of "organic leaves". These factors will need to be weighed and considered in your decision about whether or not your fall autumn leaves are organic leaves or not. What's The Difference Between Summer Leaves And The Fall Leaves? Throughout this article I have stressed "leaves of fall", and there's a reason for this. Summertime leaves (at least green leaves) are green and full of chlorophyll. This makes them a high nitrogen source, much the same as grass and other green vegetation, and therefore decompose and react totally different from fall autumn leaves, which are a high carbon source. High carbon materials decompose slowly and require high nitrogen components in order to decompose properly. This is an important factor to keep in mind if you are composting your leaves. Even the bacteria and fungi necessary for decomposition are different between green and brown material, or high nitrogen and high carbon materials. The proper mix for green and brown materials is a mix of one part green to four parts brown for proper decomposition and composting. Another point that should be considered before someone considers the brown leaves of a dead tree as also being in the same category as the fall leaves is this - those leaves are there because the tree died. What did it die from? Are there diseases, pests or other pathogens present that could be spread to other trees or plants? I would suggest that these be raked up and burned or otherwise disposed of, except in the case of "Dutch Elm Disease", which can be spread to other trees in the smoke. In this case, it is bet to rake up and dispose of these. If your waste hauler won't pick up yard waste as many areas will not, a deep hole can be dug and the leaves buried with at least six inches of soil. Avoid planting anything in the area for at least two to three years (some sources say up to seven). Harvest The Leaves Of Fall For Future Use When the leaves do fall and if you are fortunate enough to have more than enough fall autumn leaves to meet your fall mulching, soil amending and composting needs, count yourself fortunate. These do not need to be source of "leaves of fall overload". I simply harvest leaves by grinding as usual and store the excess in barrels or other large containers that have some ventilation provided. Barrels with holes cut in the bottom and around the top for ventilation work well for me. I cover the holes with aluminum screen wire to keep critters out and the leaves in. The upper holes are cut around the sides to limit moisture. If you have access to nylon "dry bulk storage" bags, these work very well (maybe better) than barrels, except they need to be stored indoors and they do not stack like barrels. Additionally, because they are normally quite large (generally about four feet square), they will need to be filled in place. But, for those with inside space away from moisture, this can be an excellent choice. Your stored leaves can then be used to add to your compost during summer and for mulching. The brown material, in the form of the fall leaves is used to mix with the vast amounts of green material generated during the summer and aid in composting when little high quality, high carbon material is available. Organic mulch is often in short supply during the summer unless you're willing to pay for straw or other materials. These are often slow to decompose and will need to raked off to decompose elsewhere instead of digging them directly into the soil. If you've stored away the leaves of fall, you'll have an organic mulch that can be turned directly into the soil. Some Drawbacks To Fall Autumn Leaves It can usually be argued that there is a "down" side to everything, and the fall leaves are no different. The biggest of the few drawbacks when you harvest leaves is that they generate a lot of dust. Dust that can be very hazardous for some and unhealthy for everyone. The dust generated from leaves will contain soil dust, molds, fungi and some bacteria. Many of which can trigger an allergic reaction in many. Therefore, it advisable that some form of dust mask be worn by anyone at risk for respiratory problems when harvesting the leaves of fall. If you harvest leaves mechanically, the dust issue is compounded greatly. Therefore, it is advisable that everyone wear some form of respiratory protection, and if you you are predisposed to respiratory problems or allergies, I would strongly suggest a mask with disposable "Heppa" filters. Another major drawback is rain. Because fall autumn leaves are dry, they act like sponges and absorb moisture, thus making them very heavy. This can lead to aching backs and arms. Wet leaves are also very hard to grind. Therefore, I have found the blower/vac to be a very useful tool to aid in quicker drying. I simply go through areas of the fall leaves that are thick and stir them up two or three times daily to quickly dry them out in a day or two of sunshine. Never store wet leaves, because molds and mildews form quickly that can be hazardous to your health and possibly your plants. A last drawback is that leaves allowed to remain piled up for more than a very few days, is that they will quickly smother and kill anything they are covering. For this reason, it is advisable to set aside time to keep the leaves cleaned up in order to protect your lawn and other plants. In Conclusion While fall can and is one of the most beautiful seasons of the year, it is an inescapable fact that the fall leaves fall to the ground and the leaves of fall must be cleaned up. From that point, it is up to you as to whether or not they drive you mad, or you view them as a free gift and a fall crop of organic leaves to be harvested. You can clinch your teeth, rake with consternation and indignation, or you can set about to "harvest leaves", knowing that next year you will be richly rewarded for your efforts. If this isn't enough reason for raking a pile of the leaves of fall, try this. Rake a huge pile of leaves, take a running start and jump right in! You'll be amazed at how young you might feel again! And if you're fortunate enough to have small children about, let them jump in with you. The joy you will see on their faces as they emerge from a huge pile of fall autumn leaves, all covered from head to toe, is priceless. You'll wonder why on earth you ever viewed the fall leaves the way you did. Then the act of having to harvest leaves will never be a "chore" again. You might even find yourself looking forward to the fall leaves next year and feel a sense of sorrow once they are cleaned up. But take heart, next year the leaves of fall will be back! the "Hillbilly Gardener" |
