Leaf Mould ... for a new allotment

I think I might be getting an allotment, after a 4 year wait. The secretary recently came to see me, to find out if I was still interested. I missed him, so gave him a call and he couldn't say for definite, but his manner made me think, it was a possibility.

Anyway .. I am thinking positive.

With the autumn on its way and the thousands of leaves, if not millions which always gather near my door (end house of a cul de sac) I think I should collect these, to use later as a form of organic matter.

Every year I gather about 15 bags, which I just stick in the garden, behind the greenhouse and shed, so they can rot down in their own time.

I'm thinking this year I could collect more, bag them up and stick them in the greenhouse (after I remove the tomato plants) It's a cold greenhouse, which I only use for the tomatoes.

Surely, the leaves would rot down a little faster if I bag them all up, puncture each bag and stick it in the greenhouse. I could spray the bags with water every so often.

Maybe by springtime 2014 I could have a decent quantity of organic matter to dig into my new (fingers crossed) allotment.

Any thoughts on my idea would be greatly appreciated.

thank you

PS Would it be worth adding seaweed to the bags of leaves, maybe to speed up the rotting process. I could pee into the bags too .. I think that is supposed to help

 

Not got a clue m8, but will be watching this topic with interest, as I too would
like to know about this as well.

 

Cor, just when I thought things had got a bit quiet

I'd forget the bags, best done in bulk as its a fungal process.

Did an experiment last year of mixing yeast into the leaves & keeping them damp and warm. Turned it into leafmold in a few months.

 

Hi Willie,

Good luck with getting an allotment!

Quite often I put my leaf mould on my beds long before its ready...it all helps to break down and separate my clay soil. Only a few bags ever make it to full decomposition, and that goes towards the different compost mixes I make.

If you have the time, patience and a good mower, you can scatter them on the lawn and mow them up..so breaking them down quicker too.

That sounds interesting Zigs...what sort of quantities are we talking?

Steve...

 

Will any type of yeast do the same job....just asking as I have loads of yeast
that I use in wine making

 

Think I used bread yeast.

Only did a bucket load, just to see if it made any difference, the leaves in a bag outside were still just leaves by the time the bucket was done

 

I scatter mine around on the borders too then let the 'staff' do their magic....think that may be a job for the weekend weather permitting...i need the space for the next round of leaf collecting

 

Yes there is, advice I have read in the past is to spread your seaweed out and hose it off before composting it.

Steve...

 

I had a gardener bring me 2 large bags (as in the ones sand gets delivered in) last year, I just tied them up,then turned them upside down,had a look last week and things are looking good.

 

They're ideal as the woven material lets some rain in but also the air

 

Hi Zigs just had a look at them today and things are looking good,will dig it into my greenhouse beds when I change the soil for next years Toms.I just saw the gardener who bought me them today and he said was it o.k. to drop any of this year,yes please as many as you like,so fingers crossed for a few bags.

 

Have you tried sprinkling yeast in with the leaves yet?

 

No.Never heard of this till I joined this forum,but might try it this next year.What would be the best yeast to use,