Making Leafmould Compost
Autumn is the perfect time to make leafmould compost from the leaves that find their way onto our lawns and paths!
Leafmould is perfect for seed and potting mix, and can be used all over the garden. It can be made out of any deciduous leaf but evergreen leaves break down more slowly, so add these to your main compost heap.
Leafmould can be made in three easy steps:
Collection
Collect the leaves with a rake, lawn mower or garden hoover. Lawn mowers are great for collecting leaves as they shred them at the same time – which saves you a job later. Our Gardening Angles use Handy Leaf Pickers to gather leaves quickly. Most types of leaves can be kept together (pine needles should be kept separate to make ericaceous leafmould).
Watering
If your leaves are dry, water the heap to get the decomposition process started. Pop the leaves in a bin bag and puncture the bag with a fork to allow air to circulate. We wouldn’t recommend using hessian sacks for leafmould compost as they will degrade over time.
Storage
Keep the bags of leafmould stored for up to 2 years to make high quality compost. 1 year old leafmould can be used in the garden although it will only be suitable to use as mulch.
