Comments on: Leaving it

By: Louise

Louise — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:15:43 +0000

In a word – nothing. We live in the country in rural Northern New York and the southwesterly winds seems to do a good job of blowing the leaves into the woods. Any that land in the vegetable garden or flower gardens stay until spring, when I nudge them out of the way of emerging plants. It they’ve collected on the grass over the winter, I rake them out of the way in the spring. A much more satisfying outdoor task in spring, when you’re eager to work outside, but can’t do a whole lot.

Louise, We think alike! I’d much rather rake in the spring too. -kris

By: Susan in the Pink Hat

Susan in the Pink Hat — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 23:41:38 +0000

You know I’m all on board with leaf reclamation. If it’s the only source of humus you’ve got…. Although, I frequent Matt Mattus’s blog, Growing with Plants, and the tidiness of his fall clean up made me feel like some degenerate redneck hick letting my property go. Or maybe that’s just due to the fact I can clearly see how beat up the fence is.

Susan, I know what you mean about the appeal of tidiness – I think it’s hardwired. Thankfully, it’s been pretty easy for me to retrain my eye to see the beauty in a little dishevelment (my own garden is a lot messier than the gardens here…) – and like Louise says in the comment below yours, clean-up is “a much more satisfying task in spring”! -kris

By: Angie Chute

Angie Chute — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 20:21:04 +0000

Mike uses a lot of the leaves to winter protect our potted roses. He constructs “cribs,” puts the potted roses in with pots close together, and covers them with leaves. The leaves do a very good job of keeping the roses dormant through the winter.
This year he’s experimenting with a small compost bin, so some will go into that.

Angie, Thank you for sharing Mike’s trick with the potted roses – I have one that comes inside (to a cool porch) but I bet it would be much happier blanketed in leaves. (Wonder if your pots are plastic or ceramic…?) -kris

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:07:33 +0000

I love this post! You are right on. It makes me crazy to see leaves in plastic bags waiting to be carted off to the landfill. Leaves on the perennial and veggie beds serve as slow-release fertilizer, weed suppressors, and attractive mulch. We discussed this in a blog post last fall (at http://www.jmmds.com/2010/10/leave-no-ground-uncovered-tis-better-to-mulch-than-to-weed/, if you’re interested), and all who tried it last year reported healthier, better-draining, more worm-filled soil this year.

I have lots of oak leaves, and I shred them with my mower before dumping onto my beds. Some people worry about critters bedding down in all those nice cozy leaves, but as you point out, that includes the beneficial bugs! I haven’t had a problem with bugs or disease since I started mulching with leaves–in fact, I think my healthier, happier plants are better able to withstand any assaults. If I start noticing a rodent population explosion, I might have to change tactics, but so far, so good.

Thanks again for a great post!

Jennifer, Thank you for reminding me (all of us) about the vole issue. I’m still in denial because so far, they haven’t bothered our gardens (knock wood). However, we have seen evidence in some of the shrub beds. I wonder, is it possible they might prefer the cover of bark mulch to leaf mulch?… -kris