How To Make Leaf Mold
With autumn in full swing throughout the Midwest, it is time to start thinking about making leaf mold. Leaf mold, also known as leaf mould, is simply fallen leaves that have been composted into a dark, crumbly soil amendment.
Many homeowners discard their autumn leaves, unaware that leaf mold is one of the best soil amendments available to gardeners. Unlike ordinary compost, leaf mold does not add many nutrients to the soil, but it is an outstanding soil conditioner that improves soil structure and provides food and habitat for earthworms and other beneficial soil life.
Leaf mold also dramatically improves water retention, making it an especially important soil amendment for gardeners dealing with soils that drain too slowly or too quickly. Leaf mold can hold up to 500% its own weight in water, compared to 60% for average quality topsoil and just 20% for subsoil. During wet periods, leaf mold absorbs huge amounts of water, reducing flooding and other sluggish drainage problems associated with heavy clay soils and preventing the water from draining away too quickly from sandy soils. During dry periods, the water is gradually released back to the surrounding soil, reducing the need to water.
Fortunately, this amazing stuff is not only free, it is also extremely easy to make!
How to Make Leaf Mold
To make leaf mold, simply collect autumn leaves into a wire bin, plastic bag, or quiet corner of your yard. Moisten them and leave them in a relatively cool, shady part of your yard. Check moisture levels occasionally during dry periods and moisten them again if necessary. Otherwise, making leaf mold requires no other effort at all. Simply leave the leaves alone and in 6 to 12 months you will have a supply of rich, earth leaf mold to use as mulch or dig into your garden.
If you want to speed the process up, run over your leaves with a lawn mower or put them through a leaf shredder first and turn the pile occasionally.
Do not use black walnut leaves to make leaf mold, as they contain a toxin that can kill other plants.
More composting tips:
- Let it Rot!: The Gardener’s Guide to Composting (Third Edition) (Storey’s Down-to-Earth Guides)
- The Complete Compost Gardening Guide: Banner batches, grow heaps, comforter compost, and other amazing techniques for saving time and money, and producing the most flavorful, nutritous vegetables ever
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Question for you on the leaf mold. I just removed a ton (8 straight hours of raking) of damp leaves from my backyard because I was concerned that the mold on them was being tracked in by my dogs and endangering my wife who is allergic to mold. Her doctor said she is allergic to “mold”, does that usually mean she’s also allergic to leaf mold? same thing? I don’t know.
I saw dime sized black spots of mold on the leaves, I assume that is mold, heh.
John, leaf mold is not the same thing as mold. It refers to composted leaves. However, it is certainly possible that there may be real mold on some of the leaves, so if your wife is allergic, it is probably best to confine the leaves somewhere where the dog can’t track through it, such as a wire compost bin. Another alternative would be to dig a trench in your garden where you want to improve the soil tilth (for a future garden bed or in general) and bury the leaves. Earthworms and other beneficial soil organisms will happily take care of the rest of your leaf disposal problem.
[...] soil as it begins to dry out. Compost is the best source of organic matter. Other sources include leaf mould, aged animal manures, spoiled hay or straw, and organic mulches such as wood [...]
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