Well, you knew that this time was coming, you hoped that it didn’t, but regardless it is upon us. That’s right, it is leaf-raking time. 

I must say that as long it is a warm, sunny, dry day when I tackle raking, I really don’t mind this task.  

Before you start raking up leaves, though, let’s stop and think about what we are doing. 

We spend hours raking up the leaves, putting them into bags — at least they are now biodegradable paper bags — and placing them out at the curb for the garbage truck to pick up.

Then, the following spring, we head off to the garden centre to buy compost to add to our gardens.

It always seems strange to me that we just discard these leaves and not make use of this resource turning the leaves into “black gold.”

The cheaper solution is to use what nature gives us for free and take advantage of all the benefits dead leaves offer.

So, before you start stuffing all those leaves into bags, you may want to consider making use of them as mulch in your gardens.

To make use of the leaves, it is best to shred them up first. Some leaves, such as Norway maples and oaks, have a thicker cuticle layer and may not break down on their own over winter unless shredded.  

The easiest way to shred the leaves is by using either a lawn mower with a mulching blade or a leaf blower/vacuum/mulcher. 

If you don’t have a mulching blade on your mower, which cuts up the leaves smaller, you can just use your regular mower and go over the leaves several times. 

Shredding the leaves first, before putting them on your garden, will help them decompose that much quicker. 

The smaller the pieces of leaves are, the quicker they decompose. It is best if the leaves are dry when shredding them. 

The only leaves that you do not want to use are ones that have had a disease on them, such as tar spot or powdery mildew. 

You also do not want to use walnut leaves as they contain a substance (juglone) that can inhibit plant growth.

When using dried shredded leaves as mulch, spread them at a depth of 7.5 to 10 centimetres (three to four inches) around existing trees and shrubs and five to 7.5 centimetres (two to three inches) over perennial beds. 

You can also put a thicker layer of shredded leaves on vegetable garden areas in preparation for spring planting.

The benefits of using shredded leaves as mulch are many:

1. Applying leaf mulch will keep the soil warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, thereby protecting more sensitive plants.
2. Applying leaf mulch will improve the amount of nutrients in the soil, reducing the amount of fertilizer needed. As the dried leaves decompose they release traces of calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium.
3. Applying leaf mulch will suppress the growth of weeds in your garden. This, in turn, cuts down on your maintenance time and use of herbicides.
4. Applying leaf mulch is a great way of adding organic matter back into your garden. This will help to break up heavier clay soil or help provide better moisture retention with sandy soils
5. Applying leaf mulch will shade your soil and therefore the soil will not dry out as quickly compared to being fully exposed to sunlight. Therefore, you will not need to water as often.
6. Applying leaf mulch can help reduce soil erosion in certain instances.
7. It’s free!

All great reasons why you should consider mulching your leaves this fall and watch them turn into black gold. 

So, when you see all the leaves falling from the trees, don’t think of them as another chore on your to-do list, but as a gift that keeps giving back.

Joanne Young is a Niagara-on-the-Lake garden expert and coach. See her website at joanneyoung.ca.