Leaf Mold - How to Harvest & Use It

Leaf mold is easy to make, though it takes a long time. After 18 months, Gardener Scott shows how he harvests his leaf mold (leaf mould) for soil amending, mulch, and potting mix. (Video #378)

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[simplifygardening]

One of the best amendments to your garden. It is so versatile. I make loads each year and would never be without it. Great video Scott. More people should make this

[amymorales]

In my area, we have to maintain “defensible space” to prevent the spread of fire. I have to hire a service to do this for me. I asked the men who were doing the work what they were going to do with the branches and leaves that they were loading into a trailer. They said that they were going to take them to the dump. I asked them to put the branches and some of the leaves into a hugelkultur bed, and the rest into a container for leaf mold. They liked the idea so much that they now say that they do the same at their homes. Gardening can be wonderfully contagious. (Of course, I also told them about the Gardener Scott Channel)

[shineyrocks]

I built it Scott. Now I have got to fill it up. My neighbor said he'd trade me leaves for squash this fall. Win Win perfect timing

[claygreen]

I go to where the local university dumps their leaves. There is a pile of old leaves that is literally big as my house. I can fill the bed of my truck with leaf mold in 15 minutes that goes in my flower and raised beds. Incredible how much stuff goes unused by people who have no idea of what they're throwing away.

[scrappyquilter]

I LOVE making dirt this way! "Black gold" indeed! I add the fluid that collects in the containers under our two "wet compost barrels"; some call it "compost tea" - I just don't want it to go to waste. I love the smell of the composted leaves. It is lovely stuff!

[j.b.]

In fall of 2020 I made my first batch of leaf mold. I had the two 3' bins under a tree and kept them moist. I turned it once in late July 2021 to get the top and side leaves inside the pile. It was done in late October, I got three totes full. Fantastic stuff, where I used it this spring the plants are doing great. Last fall I built two pallet bins, 4'x4'x4' and packed them with maple leaves and topped them a few times. I will turn them next month. I hope to double what I made last year. With my compost I should be able to avoid buying any bagged compost next spring.

[noraalvarado]

I take my fall leaves and put it in a fence just like yours in the fall here in N.Y also. What I do with mine is put it on the bottom of all my flower pots because its not fully broken down yet and put my store bought soil right on top then plant. Saves me so much money on potting mix.

[Tregan]

Awesome advice! I use leaves in my compost mixed with grass clippings. I let them sit for a year with a few turnings. Then just use as a mulch on top of my vegetable garden… I haven’t needed fertilizer in years.

[sbffsbrarbrr]

I started making leaf mold in Fall of 2020 but didn't have your patience so used it mostly as mulch in spring of 2021 and this year.
The leaves only slightly decompose after 7-8 months.
I was lucky to find 2 very large pallet shipping boxes for free on Facebook Market Place.
I have one box left with leaves from last year and will now force myself to leave until next spring! I want to see my leaves look like your black gold. Beautiful!

[mmsdcb]

I am starting one this fall. We have neighbors with big poplar trees and every year I would take all those leaves that fall into our yard and bag it and throw some and put some into the in ground soil for the garden. I never would have thought to do this. It’s like the forest as the leaves lay untouched . We end up with about 6 or more big black bags full of leaves every year. I wish I would have started this years ago! I am so excited to start this process. What a beautiful way to use what has been given to us!

[brianseybert]

Ended up with almost 50 gallons of leaf mold last fall. I used it as a seed starter, incorporated into my potting soil and used a lot in my grow bags.
When I replanted some grass where the sweet potato vines killed the grass, I used leaf mold as a mulch over the grass seed, I have never had grass grow so quickly and as full.
Double shredding the leaves really speeds up the process, the leaf mold I started last fall is nearly completely broken down (I did insulate the pile with bagged leaves on the sides and top over winter, this spring I found it only froze down about 8")
Another huge benefit is under the microscope, it is loaded with nematodes and beneficial fungi plus in my area loaded with earthworms, native and escapees from my worm bins.
I am hooked on leaf mold

[emdorris]

I collect as many bags as possible every Fall now. It’s such a good free resource.

[elmerkilred]

Leaf mold is what I have been using to replace peat moss. I use an electric Worx leaf vac/mulcher that reduces the leaves into 1/4" to 1/2" size flakes, and my turnover time is reduced to about a year. Sometimes, I toss in Starbucks spent coffee grounds on the larger piles. Last year while turning my oak leaves, I uncovered a basketball sized air pocket that had what looked like big Portabella sized mushrooms in it. It was as brown as the oak leaves.

[shineyrocks]

OUTSTANDING ♥️👍
I've got extra chicken wire in the loft of the barn. I know exactly what I'm making tomorrow.
Pure genius Scott

[anastasiaserwaczek]

Thank you Gardener Scott for sharing your knowledge & good will!

[richprich]

We have gotten 25 truck loads of mulch from the tree service but the leaves break down nicely.
I like using both

[MrNoucfeanor]

I add coffee grounds to mine as well as a handful of worms from the worm bin, speeds things up considerably!

[harrellt]

I had a bunch of woodchips as mulch in front of my house, after a few years of breaking down, some plant i put in it went crazy. So im sold. Ill try this one so its faster

[LeverActionLarry]

I saved a bunch of leaves for mulch in the same way and didn't even know I was inadvertently making leaf mold. I will be harvesting this going forward! Thanks as always GS!

[amandachamberlain]

Just out enjoying the garden today and listening to to videos like this one and thinking about how much of a luxury it is to be able to do what I'm doing right now. Its a beautiful day and I'm thinking about how I can improve my system while I go about tending the garden. Its a good day! Thank you as always for your calm and informative videos, I look forward to them.