For many people, autumn means picking up leaves, putting them in the bag and throwing them away. Disposal in organic waste or at the recycling center seems to be the easiest way to get rid of the leaves. But that is not advisable. By composting your fall leaves, you don't have to do a lot of work or pay disposal costs. On the contrary, you can actually make a real profit by saving the foliage. Read why here.
Leaves can be composted, but not all leaves
Make compost from leaves
Which type of foliage is suitable?
Not every tree species produces foliage that is suitable for composting. Others are highly recommended, such as:
- hornbeams
- ash trees
- mountain ash
- fruit trees
- maple
- linden trees
It is not recommended to use:
- poplars
- plane trees
- Book
- oak trees
- chestnuts
- walnut trees
But why are some types of foliage better than others? The reason why poplars, plane trees and the like are counterproductive is their tannic acid content. This slows down the rotting process, so it can sometimes take up to three years before the foliage is ready for use. Special care is also required with the walnut. It is better to dispose of your leaves entirely in the organic waste as they are toxic in large quantities to the rest of your compost waste.
However, there are ways and means to speed up the decomposition process:
- Shred the foliage.
- Or add neutralizing stone flour that weakens the tannic acid.
What else to watch out for?
In autumn, precipitation increases. Morning dew also wets the leaves, leading to mold growth. Your compost heap should therefore be in a sheltered location. Regular digging encourages air circulation between the leaves. Check your compost pile regularly for rot. As soon as you discover mold, dispose of the surrounding leaves completely in the organic waste.
use foliage
The composted leaves are suitable for:
- for mulching
- for fertilizing
- as antifreeze
Obtain valuable compost
Unfortunately, autumn leaves are not particularly nutritious. Shortly before hibernation, the trees withdraw their plant sap and thus also the nutrients from the leaves into the trunk. However, there is a trick you can use to enrich your foliage to make mulching more effective: mix vegetable scraps into the foliage. This should not be a problem, especially on the compost heap.