How to make leaf mold, and how many leaves are too many to leave on the lawn

Leaf mold in progress.

Hi, guys!

What are you planning to do with all those leaves?

I’ve written about leaving them where they fall (if they land on soil) and pushing them into beds and borders (if they land on the lawn). There, they serve as a root-protecting winter mulch and shelter for beneficial insects, then eventually decompose and nourish your plants.

I’ve also written about adding leaves to compost, where they balance fresh, green ingredients like weeds and kitchen scraps and keep the decomposing pile from becoming an olfactory nightmare.

But today, I’m suggesting another use for fallen leaves that’s simpler than making compost and nearly as beneficial: leaf mold.

Think of leaf mold as a one-ingredient compost. Like compost, it improves the drainage of heavy clay soil and the moisture retention of sandy soil, which also comes in handy around plants that require a lot of water and in areas prone to drought. It also regulates soil temperature and suppresses weeds.

Traditional compost contains more nutrients, but because leaf mold improves soil quality and supports microbes, earthworms and beneficial insects, its use also greatly supports the health and vigor of plants.

Oak leaves make excellent leaf mold, but because of their size can take two years to fully decompose. Smaller leaves, like those of beech and maple, break down more quickly. Use what you have or rescue your neighbors’ leaves from the curb on trash day.