Aug 9, 2022 · Leaf mold is a great soil amendment. It is essentially a soil conditioner that increases the water retention of soils. Leaf mold also improves soil structure and provides a fantastic habitat for soil life, including earthworms and beneficial bacteria.

Feb 26, 2025 · Leaf mold is easily one of the best compost options you can put into use in your garden. Horticultural expert Sarah Jay explains what leaf mold is and how to make it! One of the best parts of the fall season is that sweet, sweet crumbly leaf mold—something I …

Jul 26, 2023 · The easiest way to make leaf mold is to just rake your leaves into a big pile and let the pile sit there for two or three years. If you aren't quite that patient or you don't have enough room for three giant leaf piles, you'll need to shred them.

When you make leaf mold, you are mimicking what happens under trees in the forest each fall when the leaves fall to the ground. But by putting the leaves in a pile, you are concentrating the leaves, making it easier for the fungi to break it all down, turning it into a fantastic soil amendment.

Leaf mold (or, in the UK, leaf mould) is not only a sustainable way to recycle fallen autumn leaves, the process of making it is incredibly simple and can be done with very limited resources. Read on for this comprehensive guide on everything you need to know about leaf mold, including benefits, how to make it – and how to speed the process up.

Jan 18, 2022 · Leaf mold is the dark, crumbly, sweetly earthy-scented compost that comes from decomposing deciduous tree leaves. It is naturally deposited in thin layers on forest floors each year,...

Oct 8, 2019 · Collecting fallen leaves for leaf mold is a simple process. Using rakes or boards, or a rotary mower, to gather leaves will make life easier. But you can also relatively easily simply collect up leaves by hand, especially if you only have a smaller garden.

Nov 8, 2022 · Leaf mold is the stuff of permaculture dreams: it’s an organic, locally available, renewable, and abundant resource that upholds the ingenuity of natural ecosystems. It’s really easy to make leaf mold. All you need to do is collect your fallen leaves into a …

Nov 2, 2021 · Essentially a soil conditioner, leaf mold adds organic matter to your garden soil. One of its best attributes is that it can hold up to 500 percent of its weight in water, greatly improving water retention. This retention helps reduce runoff and can help keep plants cool during hot, dry summers.

Oct 31, 2021 · Leaf mold is so simple to create and beneficial for your soil. Just pile up your fall leaves, let them decompose, and in time you’ll have this organic soil amendment. Just like homemade compost, creating leaf mold is another way to make use of free, natural resources right in our own yards.