In autumn, for many people it's time to pick up the leaves, put them in the bag and throw them away. Disposing of them in organic waste or at the recycling center seems to be the easiest way to get rid of the leaves. But that is not advisable. By composting your fall leaves, you don't have to do a lot of work or pay for disposal. On the contrary, you can actually make a real profit by storing the leaves. Read why here.
Which types of leaves are suitable for composting?
Composting leaves is suitable for maple, rowan, ash, hornbeam, linden and fruit trees. Oaks, chestnuts, poplars, plane trees, beeches and walnut trees are bad for composting. Add vegetable scraps for extra nutrients and watch for mold growth.
Make compost from leaves
Which type of foliage is suitable?
Not every tree species produces leaves that are suitable for composting. Others are highly recommended, for example:
- hornbeams
- Ash trees
- rowan trees
- Fruit trees
- Maple
- Linden
It is not recommended to use:
- Poplars
- Plane trees
- Book
- Oaks
- Chestnuts
- Walnut trees
But why are some types of foliage better than others? The reason why poplars, plane trees, etc. are counterproductive is their tannic acid content. This slows down the rotting process, so it can sometimes take up to three years before the leaves are ready for use. Special care is also required with the walnut. It is better to dispose of your leaves completely in organic waste, as large quantities of them have a toxic effect on the rest of your compost waste. However, there are ways and means to accelerate the decomposition process:
- Crush the leaves.
- Or add neutralizing stone powder, which weakens the tannic acid.
What else should you pay attention to?
Precipitation increases in autumn. Morning dew also moistens the leaves, which leads to mold growth. Your compost heap should therefore be in a protected location. By digging regularly, you promote air circulation between the leaves. Check your compost pile regularly for rot. As soon as you discover mold, dispose of the surrounding leaves completely in organic waste.
Use foliage
The composted leaves are suitable:
- for mulching
- for fertilization
- as frost protection
Get valuable compost soil
Unfortunately, autumn leaves are not particularly rich in nutrients. Shortly before hibernation, the trees withdraw their sap and thus also the nutrients from the leaves into the trunk. However, there is a trick you can use to enrich your foliage to make mulching more effective: mix vegetable scraps into the foliage. This shouldn't be a problem, especially in the compost heap.
