Canberra is blessed with beautiful deciduous trees and if you are tree lovers like us this is one of the best times of the year. If you have been busy raking we thought we’d give you some tips on what to do with those piles of leaves. Leaves contain twice as many minerals than manure and are rich with humus building qualities. Whatever you do don’t burn them!
Three great ways to improve your garden with autumn leaves
- Mulch – this is a great way to retain moisture and add nutrients to your beds and will help keep the area cool during summer. Pile up leaves to around 75mm. Be careful to keep them away from any tree trunks and plant stems. Add some dynamic lifter or something to help break up the leaves and then let the worms do their work.
- Compost – mix the leaves in with your compost and add a little nitrogen / manure to help them break down quickly. If you don’t have any manure add a little blood and bone – around 2 cups to each wheelbarrow load of leaves. Alternatively, you can shred your leaves using a rotary mower and mix them in with your compost. Turn them regularly.
- Leaf mold – pile up all your leaves and store them for about a year. Although not as rich as composted leaves it’s an easier option than making leaf compost and makes great mulch.
Your trees will thank you with an explosion of leaves and flowers in spring. Let us know how you go.
Autumn leaves are great for your garden
TreeWorks is Canberra’s leading tree services business. We are a fully licensed & insured tree removal company and a member of Arboriculture Australia. Our climbers are fully trained and some of our arborists have over 25 years experience in large scale tree surgery and removals.
TreeWorks …. truly tree-mendous