What to do with dry leaves in autumn? Autumn is coming and the leaves turn the mountains red and brown. It is such a magical and surprising phenomenon at the same time.
This material that nature gives us is magnificent for plants. And as good gardeners or gardeners we must know how to take advantage of what we have around us. At home when it is autumn is the time to collect materials. The main one is the leaves that have fallen from the trees. We use them for many things.
It is an easy material to get. I think we all have a tree nearby even in cities there are spots where dry leaves are flooded in the fall.
What you should never do with dry leaves is to burn them or throw them away because it is not beneficial for the environment at all and you are also despising a very good product. This is a bad practice that I have seen in many places, so I think it is important to write on it.
Next I am going to share different uses of the sheets:
Compost Dry Leaves
Compost is a much appreciated type of compost, it is natural and you can also do it at home. It is achieved from the decomposition of organic waste (remains of vegetables, cut plants, leaves,).
If you have a garden with deciduous plants, you can make a compost pylon out of them. Although to get better quality compost, I recommend mixing remnants of the organic from home.
Improve the Structure of the Earth
If the soil in your garden is very hard and clayey, to improve it you must incorporate organic matter. When you apply the compost, add some dry leaves to add organic matter to the soil. Thanks to this you will get a more spongy and airy soil.
Substitute for Coconut Fiber
When you want to create your own substrate you need a few ingredients. One of the most common is coconut fiber. This material gives more fluffiness and structure to the substrate. But it is not necessary to buy a material that comes from outside when you have dry leaves. The dry leaves, if you mix them with the substrate, fulfill the same function as coconut fiber.
At home we make our own potting substrate from materials we collect. It could be said that it is the equivalent of the universal substrate or for vegetables.
I share the recipe:
Homemade Universal Substrate
2 parts compost or worm castings
½ part small stones
½ part of coarse sand (cannot be from the sea)
1 part dried leaves
Padded
The leaves can be used to mulch the plants. In some regions it is typical to use the leaves of the ears of corn to mulch vegetables.
Mulching is a strategy that you can implement in your vegetable garden or garden.
Some Benefits:
Better conserves soil moisture, you save water and time.
Prevent weeds from growing. It is a great labor saving.
As it decomposes, it contributes organic matter to the soil.
In winter, it makes the temperature more stable and in summer the soil is cooler.
It prevents erosion when it rains, thanks to the fact that it is a shock absorber.
Create A Leaf Pylon For Wildlife
One of the points that I always emphasize in the garden is the importance of increasing the biodiversity of fauna. Thanks to the fact that there are more animals, the pests are balanced because there are more predators.
Frogs, lizards and other amphibians love to hide in these pylons. These animals are good neighbors because they eat a lot of insects and do no harm to plants.
To make the pylon is as simple as leaving a small pile with dry leaves. You can also add dry branches if you have in the garden.
Crafts For Kids With Leaves
Every time I realize more and more how easy it is for children to entertain themselves with natural materials (leaves, stones, earth…) And what’s more, it is often what they prefer. The leaves are like mosaics of different colors. With them, they can create shapes and create a natural work of art. It is compostable and free material.