Strategies for managing autumn debris: guides for both dairy farmers and garden enthusiasts
Autumn leaves can be more than just a beautiful spectacle. By following a few simple steps, you can transform them into a nutrient-rich humus that benefits your garden throughout the year.
- Collect and Store
Gather fallen leaves in large bags, ensuring they are packed tightly. Store them in a dark place over the winter, allowing them to decompose naturally.
- Prepare the Ground
Once spring arrives, spread the leaves in a loose "blanket" over your garden. This layer retains heat and protects the root system from freezing and repeated thawing.
- Add Moisture
If it rains, let the leaves get wet. Moisture speeds up the decomposition process, helping you to create humus more quickly. Alternatively, you can pour boiling water directly from the kettle onto the contents of your bag.
- Consider the Nitrogen Levels
When using warm beds, remember that the organic matter settles and may cause a nitrogen deficiency in the first months. To counteract this, top the beds with fertile soil or compost.
- Create Warm Beds
To create warm beds, dig a trench or build borders, fill them with layers of leaves and green waste, water if needed, and leave it for the winter. The decomposing matter will generate extra heat as spring approaches.
- Avoid Direct Contact
Avoid placing leaves in direct contact with stems. Instead, create an air-permeable layer, sometimes combined with pine needles or straw, to prevent compacting.
- Use as Mulch
Fallen leaves can be used as an affordable covering material for overwintering heat-loving perennials like roses, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums, and bulbs. In Russia, this practice is particularly beneficial for fruit plants, as the layer of fallen leaves acts as insulation, helping to retain soil warmth and moisture around the roots during cold seasons.
- Harvest Your Humus
By spring, your humus will be ready. The organic matter has settled and started releasing heat, allowing for an earlier start to vegetation and earlier transplanting of seedlings. Enjoy the benefits of your homemade humus in your garden!
