Article 46

THE CASUAL GARDENER, Shawna Coronado

DARTH VADER IS IN MY GARDEN!!

Allergies!! I got’em! Particularly to molds. Fall is a season which brings misery to me, even with all my allergy
medications and my health and garden routine. So it might surprise you to find out one of the Fall secret
ingredients in my garden is leaf mulch! It seems an irony that one of the best things for your garden drives me
to wear an industrial respirator mask. My youngest laughs and calls me Darth Vader. So do the neighbors.
Although they’re more likely to say, “What the *%$& are you doing with that THING on?” My cat sits in the front
window and stares hard at me in terror and Harry the Pug barks at me.

It seems crazy, I know. Yet the truth of the matter is I’m not willing to give in to adversity and let the allergies
win. In my opinion, being outside in the garden is healthy and is worth the hard work and dedication. I feel like
a million bucks when I’m out there – even when I sometimes have to wear a mask. And besides all that – leaf
matter is GOLD to your garden, particularly if it’s processed into Leaf mold.

Leaf mold is partially decomposed leaves which have a consistency between shredded leaves and humus. You’
ll see leaf mold in wooded areas beneath the upper-most crust of dead and decomposing natural elements. It’s
a crushed brown material with a pleasant, earthy scent.

Leaf mold is amazing and can hold up to 500 percent its own weight in water. It helps to retain moisture in the
soil and absorbs rainwater to reduce runoff. It functions as a protective mulch in Winter and in Summer it helps
cool roots and foliage. Another benefit, which is quite critical to plant growth is an increase in the microbial
qualities of the soil.

There is a difference between making regular compost and making leaf mold. Composting is a “hot” process
which is decomposed mainly by bacteria. Leaf mold is a “cold” composting process where decomposition is
done primarily by fungi and takes much longer.

To make leaf mold, rake your leaves into a pile and let the pile sit there for two or three years. Most of us can’t
wait or don’t have room for several huge leaf piles. In that case, it would be better if you shred them. Leaves
break down more quickly if they are shredded. Shredding the leaves also prevents them from packing together
to tightly – this can cause a barrier problem which repels moisture and seals out air. It also makes it easier to fit
a large quantity of leaves into a relatively small space.

The simplest way to shred leaves is to run over them with the lawnmower a few times. You can also rake the
leaves and run them through a leaf shredder. You’ll need a large pile so you can retain enough moisture and
heat to get the best leaf mold – perhaps about 20 trash bags full. Another technique is to pack the leaves into
black trash bags. Make sure they are moist, close the bag, then poke holes in the sides of the bag for
drainage. Add a shovelful of rotted manure to the moist mix will help. Then hide the bags for a year or so.

Leaf mold is ready to use when it’s soft and crumbly. Distribute it around your shrubs, perennials and vegetable
plants. Because leaf mold retains so much moisture, be sure to keep it several inches back from the crown or
base of the plant. This will help avoid pest and disease problems.
Raw leaves will steal Nitrogen from the plants around it. I regularly add Nitrogen to my garden beds, so have
found some success in mowing crushed leaves right into the garden. It helps function as a mulch and does
bring soil benefits, but is not as effective as aged leaf matter would be in “enriching” the soil. Also, if you add
enough leaf matter to brand new garden beds it is a great substitute for peat moss to improve the soil.

Remember – leaf mold is gold!! Get out there and start raking!!

Happy Fall to you all!!

Please send your gardening questions for Shawna Coronado, The Casual Gardener to
dearshawna@thecasualgardener.com or The Casual Gardener, P.O. Box 358, Warrenville, IL 60555.
www.thecasualgardener.com

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