What to do with the leaves that fall in autumn?

Why do the leaves fall in autumn?

Deciduous trees (as opposed to conifers) in our regions lose their leaves before winter because they have finished their work and are emptied of their chlorophyll, which gives them these beautiful colors.
In addition, without them the tree will more easily face the rigors of winter (cold, snow load, etc.)

So it is a waste? Yes and no. What is waste for the tree can be a raw material for the gardener.

They can be annoying if they remain on a lawn or on certain plants by depriving them of light.
There are therefore areas where it is imperative to collect the leaves and others where it is good to bring some. It is not good to systematically leave the leaves where they fell as some dogmas profess.

But the structure of the leaves gives them insulating qualities. They can therefore be used for:

· Protect the base of some plants that are a little frosty, but be careful, if the leaves protect the plants, they form an excellent shelter for rodents such as voles which can attack plants in peace.

· Make “stoves” around layers and culture boxes (frames), they can even be used for warm layers. We use the last food reserves for microorganisms, nitrogen and sugars, present in the leaves to produce heat by fermentation, as we do with manure for example.

· Cover the ground during the winter when there are no crops or green manure. It is advisable not to leave bare soil for a long period, especially in winter, to avoid leaching and soil beating by winter rains. In addition, a light insulating cover favors the life of the soil.

But there is also another use

When you have to collect substantial quantities of leaves: make leaf compost, a raw material for cultivation almost equivalent to heather soil or peat because this compost has a much more aerated structure than conventional composts or potting soil of manure.
For that we will reserve a small space for a lot of transformation.

Warning,

it is better to put plastic wrap, tarpaulin or non-woven fabric if storing these leaves under trees as this pile is very attractive to the roots.