In the fall when trees and bushes are bared, in the forest the thick carpet of fallen leaves is formed. Time to collect them and to use in garden for fertilizer of the soil and protection of the most fragile plants has come.
Some leaves are unsuitable for future use. Make sure that leaves which you use are not struck with diseases, fungi and parasites who can appear again in the spring. The only decision is to destroy sick leaves, burning them.
Avoid to use too rigid leaves. Several years for decomposition can be required by them. Gardeners do not recommend to use the nut leaves containing harmful tannin.
To collect leaves in the forest, use big black packages and rake. Collect by rake leaves in small groups and densely fill them bags. Then transport bags in trunk of your machine. On lawn in your garden it is easy to collect leaves by the lawn-mower with the bunker. Install the highest level of cutting of grass in the lawn-mower. Collect mix of grass and the crushed leaves in the bunker. It perfectly is suitable for composting. You can collect damp leaves, it will not damage to their future use.
It is possible to keep surplus of the fallen leaves collected in the fall for the subsequent use in spring mulching and composting.
Take thin wire mesh, 1 m high and 3 m long. Make of it cylinder, having attached the ends of grid to each other wire. Attach cylinder to the earth 4 pegs. Fill cylinder with leaves which can be used in the spring.
It is possible to make fine compost of collected autumn leaves. If you the happy owner of the grinder, then crush leaves into small pieces. It is necessary to put leaves layers on 20 cm. Place green kitchen waste, grass, manure or ready compost between layers. Regularly mix compost to air it and to make sure that it remains damp. Invert heap in the spring and add still nitrogenous organic matters. Your compost will be ready in year. It is possible to make compost in black bags in which you have brought leaves from the wood. Just tie bag strongly, make openings on all surface of bag for ventilation and arrange it in far corner of garden at least for one and a half years. When opening bag you will have rich compost, prepared for use.
It is worth to remember that fallen leaves represent source of organic matter for all your landings. You can spread out thick layer of fallen leaves to all your kitchen garden. This layer will keep earthworms and other insects for continuation of their work so important for your beds.
The thick layer of fallen leaves covered from above with branches from wind can protect gentle plants from frost. It is also possible to surround your favourite plants with cylinder from grid and to close them leaves, filling this construction. Leaves will not scatter, and plants will be warmed by fur coat from leaves.
At last, fallen leaves limit emergence of weeds, facilitating your work on weeding as soon as fine weather comes. After warming up of the soil use layer of fallen leaves as mulch and you keep the earth damp and friable. Big leaves it is good to mulch large plants - trees and bushes. The small and crushed leaves it is convenient to mulch beds.