Colorful autumn leaves usually create a melancholic mood. The falling leaves not only look beautiful, but also have a great benefit from which both you as a gardener and numerous living creatures benefit. Find out here how useful falling leaves can be for your garden, how best to collect and process them and what else there is to consider.
Why are leaves useful in autumn?
Fall leaves have several beneficial uses in the garden, such as composting, fertilizing, frost protection and as winter shelter for animals. It can also be used in crafts. Therefore, you should not ignore the leaves in the garden and use them sensibly.
Why do trees shed their leaves?
The shedding of leaves in autumn has to do with the leaf coloring in summer. The pigment chlorophyll is responsible for the green color, which is produced during photosynthesis, i.e. the conversion of water, oxygen and light into glucose. Glucose also represents the energy that a plant needs for its growth. This also includes the formation of leaves. In autumn there is no longer enough sunlight to carry out photosynthesis. To compensate for the lack of energy, the plant conserves energy. It sheds its leaves and draws the nutrients back inside. Similarly, the leaves are the most sensitive parts of the tree. The plant sap it contains freezes quickly. The plant prevents this process by shedding the excess leaves.
What are the benefits of the leaves?
For the gardener, shedding leaves doesn't just mean work. Use the fallen leaves in the following ways:
- as compost
- as fertilizer
- as frost protection
- as winter quarters for animals
- for crafting
Processing and disposal
Fertilizing, mulching or protecting plants from the cold is not difficult at all with leaves. Just leave the leaves on the beds. So that there is no moisture between the individual layers, you should only spread the leaves slightly. However, you have to remove the leaves on the lawn.
Duty to vacate
You really have work to do when the leaves of a tree fall onto the sidewalk. To prevent pedestrians from slipping, every citizen is obliged to sweep in front of their property. For more detailed information, contact your local eviction office.
