For the Love of Leaves

When I was a teenager, the most dreaded of all Fall chores was raking leaves. Oh how I loathed it. I would rather stack fire wood. These days the fifty-something me looks at fallen leaves in a new and glorious light. The more you get to know my gardening style, you will learn that I am a work-smarter-not-harder gardener. I prefer to work with Mother Nature and not against her. Even better if Mother Nature does the work for me. This is why I no longer dread raking leaves in the Fall. I still rake them or use a leaf blower; however, I do not pick them up, I do not bag them, I do not burn them. I simply push them up into my garden beds and let them lie until spring. Yes, you heard me right. Leave the leaves to lie. Does this look magazine manicured and tidy? Not exactly. But I have learned to overlook this in exchange for the time and work it saves me. Most importantly, the benefit the leaves give my garden. The leaves cover the soil so it is not exposed all winter which maintains moisture and nutrients. The leaves themselves break down over the course of winter and add nutrients and organic matter back into the soil. It is the equivalent of composting in place. Viola! Lazy gardener composting. Just as Mother Nature intended. I mean seriously, she put those leaves there for a reason. The leaves also provide an insulating layer of mulch that protect my perennials from the winter temperatures ensuring that they return again in the spring. Come spring when the plants are full and thriving, no one will ever see the leaves underneath them. The plants will thank you. Not to mention the hibernating beneficial insects.

I love Fall leaves so much that it makes me cringe when I see neighbors burning this valuable and free garden asset. I have even been known to rescue bags of leaves from the curb on my street before weekly trash pick-up because I cannot stand the thought of them going to waste. Frankly, you can never have too many fall leaves in my opinion. Please do not waste your leaves.

If compost is called black gold in the gardening world; then that must make dead leaves the equivalent of fine silver. Best of all…fall leaves are FREE!!! Why would anyone go buy bagged compost and mulch that you have no idea the quality of ingredients that went into it when there is a free supply literally falling from the sky?!

Here’s to growing all the things!