Leaf Mould

Yesterday I went out and within half an hour I collected seven bin-bags full of beech leaves from a pathway close to home. I'll water them later, punch holes in the bags with a fork then stack them to rot for a couple of years.

My question is, when rotted and ready to use, by how much will this volume have decreased?

Many thanks

Steve...

 

I filled an industrial bulk bag, which is about a cubic metre, with beech leaves last year. Looking at it now I reckon the volume of the leaves is about a quarter of what it was. The leaves in the bag still look like leaves, but they are now very fragile and are covered with fungal threads, so I think the stuff will soon be ready to use.

In contrast, a pile of lime tree leaves of the same original size seems to disappear to almost nothing in a year, and yields very little leaf mould.

 

I find the best leaf mould is made by combining larger leaves like sycamore or lime with say beech or similar smaller leaves. For quicker decomposition coral them and run the mower over or shred them up before you bag them.

 

I've roped 4 pallets together and filled them with various leaves from our nearby park - lots of variety going in there.

Looking forward to loads of good Leaf Mould later.

 

Steve

I bag up beech leaves in the way you do and find they decompose to about 25% of their original volume in 12 months, or thereabouts. They might reduce further but they're certainly usable after one year, I find.

 

Thanks everyone, I plan to mulch with this the spring after next (2010) and to collect again next autumn for 2011. Think I'll go out again this week and collect the same ammount again to ensure a decent supply when ready to use.

Steve...

 

So - I read the other day that you shouldn't create leaf mould in a pile more than a metre tall?!? Thoughts? Given I've gone for about 5 feet I would welcome your thoughts.

Brian

 

I was gonna go out today and bag up loads of leaves from along a road round the corner and in a separate bag a load of pine needles but the council road sweeper got them all yesterday after I walked the dog :(

 

Hi
I have started collecting leaves this year. I have 100 trees in my garden, nearly all Alder.My wife and I also go out and collect them from a Beech forest. I feel so stupid, living in the country and driving a few miles to collect leaves when I am surrounded by them! Trouble is Alder is still green and takes ages to rot. I use a petrol driven hoover which also shreds them. Someone mentioned using a Bulk Bag. I assume you mean the sort that they deliver sand in? I have a few and I knew they would be handy some time! However, they look pretty waterproof. Should the leaves not be kept wet?

 

I've collected some leaves now. Got my hubby to come with me on Fri so I've filled my leaf bin now.

 

Does Pee-ing on a leaf pile help - in the way it does a compost heap?

 

This was a pile of leaves that I collected in the Autumn two years ago...

And this is them in some of my builders bags at my allotment....I have since turned them and added more to them last year.This spring I started spreading the leaf mould on some of my plots and then rotavated the whole lot in.
Mr K and myself opened up the bags to make them bigger by knocking some stakes into the ground at the four corners and then pulled the loops over the top.I don't bother covering the leaves in the bags so that the rain can get to them and the latter helps them to rot down.