| Vermont Home Gardener Got Leaves? Make Compost! Nature is now releasing leaves from trees to add fertility and build soil. We can convert those leaves into rich fertilizer instead of raking them as is often the misguided custom. Since the first green buds of spring, tree roots have been pulling up essential minerals from deep in the earth to feed their growth and productivity. Those nutrient minerals (calcium, iron, zinc, manganese, etc.) have accumulated in leaves to run photosynthesis all summer. Now as the days shorten, trees prepare for winter by reabsorbing their green pigments (chlorophylls) to save for next year. The remaining visible pigments we now see as reds and yellows. Eventually even those will be reabsorbed into the tree leaving a brown leaf rich in inorganic minerals and organic matter (carbon) designed by nature to feed the soil. It is pretty amazing that plants produce their own food by photosynthesis and then feed the soil around them for all the beneficial fungi and bacteria that they partner with. It's a great design by Nature… unless we break the cycle with a rake or a fire! We do not need to rake those leaves! It's actually better for your garden plants, shrubs, lawns, and trees if you do not remove the leaves. Leaves are filled with nutrients and beneficial microbes to replenish and fertilize the soil. Why would anybody want to get rid of something so good? The alternative is simple… shred them in place with your mower. It might take a couple extra passes to chop them small enough but that is the best way to enrich your soil, and it's FREE. If you have some extra-large maple trees, as I do, that deposit too many leaves on the lawn those can become an excellent raw material for your compost or mulch around shrubs. Not doing compost? Mower shred all those leaves in place right on your lawn. Chopped up fine they will enrich your soil (no fertilizers needed!), add organic matter to hold moisture in dry spells, and suppress weeds. It's a win-win-win. Either way, forget about those leaf bags, please. Read more at Vermont Home Gardener | 
