Now that the summer is almost over and fall is fast approaching, you may be wondering what you should do with all of the leaves that are about to fall. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to recycle fall leaves so you don’t have to throw them in the garbage can or worry about them cluttering your lawn. Here are a few great ways to recycle fall leaves:
Create Mulch
Mulch is defined as an organic layer of material that is placed on top of soil in order to add nutrients, retain moisture, and control weeds. Shredded fallen leaves can be used as mulch around delicate plants like roses and hydrangeas that are prone to frostbite. In addition, you can add mulch to your vegetable garden in the winter.
Build Compost
Composting leaves is an excellent way to create nutrient rich soil. In order to build a good pile of compost, you should take shredded leaves and mix them with grass clippings, dead leaves, and other green material. By doing so, you’ll be able to speed up the time it takes to decompose. You’ll also need a container to hold the mixture in and keep it moist throughout the year.
Chicken Bedding
If you raise chickens, fall leaves can be excellent for their bedding. Since chickens are known for their scratching, a thick layer of leaves will ensure they are in a good mood while keeping their coop clean. To create chicken bedding, gather leaves in a large garbage bag and keep them in an area that can be kept dry during the winter so that they don’t decompose.
Leaf Mold
Although a leaf mold is very similar to compost, it has a darker look to it and tends to crumble more easily. To make leaf mold, gather dead leaves into a pile and simply wait until the pile decomposes into compost. Leaf mold is a good option if you’d like to lighten your soil.
Create a Photo Album or Scrapbook
It’s a great idea to gather some gorgeous fall leaves and press them in order to create a photo album or scrapbook. Place the leaves between newspaper sheets in a heavy book for a day. Next, place them between two sheets of wax paper and use a hot iron to press them for about 10 seconds. After the paper has cooled, cut around the leaves and add them to a photo album or scrapbook.
There’s no reason to waste the precious leaves that are about to hit your yard. Try one of these recycling methods next time you’re tempted the throw them in the trash.
