Especially in autumn, the garden seems to sink into a sea of leaves. Collect it or leave it lying around? Rake or use the lawnmower? When the trees shed their leaves, many questions come to the mind of the gardener. On this page he will find the answers.
Should you remove leaves in the garden or leave them lying around?
Garden leaves should be removed from lawns and ponds to avoid damage. In beds it can serve as a natural fertilizer, frost protection and winter quarters for small animals. Shredded leaves can be composted and further processed.
Collect or leave it lying around?
You should be aware that there is a general obligation to clear the sidewalk in front of your property. Important facts about the legal regulations can be found on this page. However, since the regulations are not uniformly agreed nationwide, you should also contact your public order office if you are unsure about how, where and when you have to sweep up the leaves.
How exactly you keep your own garden tidy, however, is up to you. There are no laws here, but in your own interest you should consider a few recommendations. For example, you should always clear your lawn of fallen leaves. The carpet of leaves prevents the blades of grass from absorbing enough light and oxygen. The consequences become noticeable next spring when dried patches appear on the green area. You should also remove the leaves from ponds and rock gardens.
The situation is different in beds. If the leaves don't bother you visually, it is actually an advantage to leave the leaves lying there, because
- Leaves serve as natural fertilizer
- Leaves resemble a layer of mulch
- Leaves protect your plants from frost
- Leaves serve as winter quarters for small animals.
Tip
Use your lawnmower to collect leaves. This will save you a lot of time.
Processing leaves
So that you can use your leaves effectively, you should first compost them. Small microorganisms break down the leaves into organic material. To speed up this process, it is helpful to shred the leaves beforehand. However, you should know that some types of trees, such as walnuts, only rot very slowly.
What to pay attention to?
However, if the foliage begins to mold due to moisture, you can no longer use it. Therefore, store the leaves in a covered, protected place and check your compost regularly.
