While some gardeners indignantly get rid of the fallen-down foliage on the sites, others — with pleasure reserve it for the future. As a result the second remain in prize, autumn foliage is the real treasure for the gardener if it is correct to apply it.
Foliage — source of fertility of the soil
If on your site there is a lot of foliage, consider that you were largely lucky. Of course, she can be collected, and here it is not necessary to throw out. Quite so many skilled gardeners believe. Agronomists in this question only support them, motivating with the fact that foliage is natural source of recovery of fertility of soil.
Drainage laying from foliage
As a rule, in the spring on many sites happens very damp. Fill thick layer of fallen leaves in passes between beds, and at you peculiar laying on which it will be convenient to you to go on spring will turn out. Besides, such "carpet" will interfere with growth of weeds. It is not obligatory to move away him. By the end of summer it will safely rot through, having enriched at the same time the soil. Birch leaves as they rather quickly turn into valuable humus best of all will be suitable for creation of such laying. Leaves of oak and maple are not suitable for these purposes as they decay extremely reluctantly.
Mulch from leaves
Use the fallen-down foliage as the mulching means. Leaves it is possible to zamulchirovat pristvolny circles of ornamental shrubs and trees. Similar "blanket" will allow to protect reliably the root system of plants in case of snowless winter. The fallen-down foliage will be suitable also for the shelter for winter of root system of long-term flowers which can suffer from winter frosts.
Compost from leaves
Make organic compost of leaves. For this purpose collect the fallen-down foliage in bags in the fall. It is better to take normal garbage bags from polyethylene. Important nuance — they have to have holes. If they are not, on composting 2-3 years will leave. Too strongly do not stamp leaves. Put bags somewhere on the street and forget about them until the end of the next summer. By this time from leaves magnificent "fluffy" compost will turn out!
It is possible to act still simpler — to take and plow foliage to the earth. For this purpose scatter collected leaves on kitchen garden and walk the motor-block or shovel. During the winter the leaves will manage to decay and to well fertilize the soil. Decaying in the earth, foliage will attract earthworms who will loosen the earth and will fertilize bed humus.
The shelter for plants from foliage
Fallen leaves are quite good thermal insulation material which will allow to worry severe winters to strawberry, grapes, roses, raspberry and other thermophilic plants. That leaves did not scatter, it is possible to powder them with the earth. The most important — with arrival of the first heat do not forget to remove foliage, otherwise the plant can have diseases.