Nature's gift

As I drove to work the other morning, I saw leaves piled up along the street in residential neighborhoods. The fall leaf-raking season has begun.

I have been overhearing conversations between gardeners and homeowners discussing the annual leaf fall and what it means for them. Many complain about the time needed to rake the leaves, pile them up and then have to figure out how to get rid of them.

On the other hand, I heard a gardener call leaves a gift from Mother Nature. I have to agree with her.

Leaves do a lot of different things. They collect energy from the sun. They use up carbon dioxide and produce the oxygen we breathe. They produce sugars used by the tree to encourage its own growth.

When cool weather descends, leaves turn brown and fall off. But their work is not yet done. They slowly break down into organic matter that enriches soils. Of course, plants receive their nutrients from soils, so the cycle begins again in the spring.

Two garden products, compost maker and fertilizer, are shown with a tumbling composter. (Fred Lynch)

You, the gardener, can use the gift of fall leaves to enhance the quality of the soil in your garden and shrub beds by composting the leaves and adding the compost to the soil. It is really very simple.

First, collect a pile of leaves. Make a layer of leaves about 2 feet deep and as wide as you want the pile. Spread a thin layer of garden soil over the leaves and sprinkle a little balanced fertilizer over the pile.

Next, spread some compost maker over the pile. Compost maker is a combination of microorganisms that actually break down organic matter.

If you have more leaves, make another layer of leaves, soil, fertilizer and compost maker. You may make several layers on the one pile.

Every week or two, mix up the pile of leaves using a pitchfork or a compost turner. As composting occurs, the temperature inside the pile increases. The mixing will reduce the temperature inside the pile and mix the fertilizer and compost organisms. This will result in better compost produced sooner.

The turning of the compost pile is a must to get good compost. If you find it difficult to turn the compost in the pile, you can find compost tumblers on the market. These are enclosed barrels. Place your compost ingredients into the tumbler. Instead of having to turn the compost pile with a pitchfork, you simply rotate the tumbler a few turns. The results are the same as turning a large compost pile. It is just a lot easier.

After the compost is produced, mix it with the soils around your home. You find that your sandy soils will hold moisture more readily. If the soils in your area are high in clay content, the compost will make the soil more crumbly.

Composting is Mother Nature's way of using fall leaves for a very good purpose, improving soils. You can help Mother Nature do her job by making compost out of the leaves she gives you. You just didn't know you were receiving a gift.