What is the best way to make leaf mold? Fast or slow?

Leaves are a great compost in the fall. But what if you want to make leave mold? What's the best way?

Check out the King's channel for more info on leaf mold - there is also an end screen with one of his videos:
@terrykingsallotmentgardening

[cowboyblacksmith]

This year I collected so many leaves, I shredded a 3 cubic foot pile and let that sit. I also have a huge pen with just plain leaves that can sit for years until they break down. I'll be able to see, if the shredded leaves that heat up a little still get fungally dominant in the end, I suspect so.

[NanasWorms]

I think you’re right that the residual grass clippings gave the leaves a nitrogen boost. My understanding is that’s not a deal breaker in the beginning of a leaf mold pile. The bacteria will eventually die down and the fungi will take over. I know wherever we spread leaf mold that was only 12 months old in our garden, we got lots of mycelium and tiny mushrooms! So I know it eventually turned to a fungal process, even though it started with a nitrogen kick.

Funny story, we were driving around, looking at Halloween decorations and we saw eight giant black bags of leaves sitting on the boulevard. Landon ran home to get the utility trailer and came back and grabbed all the bags of leaves. Unlike you, we didn’t dump them out and mow over them, but just filled them with water, punched them with holes and set them aside until next year. The running joke is what if our neighbour put a pile of dirty diapers down the bottom of the garbage bags and topped it up with leaves! We have no idea what we’re going to find next fall…😂

[JS-jlyj]

It's November 2023. I don't know about the rest of the North America, but In the province of Ontario, Canada, we have an epic white powdery mildew on all Maple trees. For the past 40+ years, I have been composting the maple leaves. But this Fall, I decided not to do that. I worry that the powdery mildew might survive inside my compost bin and create havoc in my veggie garden when I spread the compost everywhere. What is your opinion?

[terrykingsallotmentgardening]

My leaf mould gets hot in the bags and once moved into the bin cools down. I have come to the conclusion that the leaves that stayed in the one ton bags for a long time broke down better in the first year, because the leaves put in the bin directly from collection haven't done so well Jason.

🍂🍁Happy Composting, Terry King.

[peggyhelblingsgardenwhatyo]

I'm not the biology major so I can only tell you that I make grass clippings and shredded cardboard compost. It takes months to break down and the temperature gets to the 120°'s tops. But it seems to cool down quickly. Mine is just an open pile. The big Earthworms move in and out. The grass clippings have some Live Oak leaves in them so they take months to break down vs the grass.
I think you are doing an awesome job, whatever the outcome 👍💕👍

[Lawn_Care_Lounge_tv_uk]

Terry king is awesome youtuber been watching him for about 3 months and came across your channel

[nickthegardener.]

Hi guys I've never made leaf mould, I'm too impatient. I put everything to compost. I didn't expect the leaves to get that hot! I think it will cool down and become fungal, I wouldn't turn it tho, just keep monitoring the temperature. Adding a handful of soil might give it a helping hand and also adding some moisture should help too. When are you using it? 😊👍💚🙏

[sowgroweat]

Another great vlog thanks. I have to admit to being a frustrated leafmolder, with it only working after 2 years. This year when I emptied 1 year old stuff it really had not decayed much at all. Never noticed any heat from mine. Mike

[cowboyblacksmith]

Fun fact, nature doesn't pile leaves into bags, so any process we do short of a thin layer left on the ground will be different than the natural process. It's all superb though so no worries.

[littlefootranch]

Slow & steady wins the race. I think it'll be okay. The initial start of it might be warm cause of the small amount of nitrogen but once that part cools I think the fungi from the carbon/leaves will take over.

Keep us posted on how it goes! I've actually never made leaf mold compost so it'll be interesting & educational to watch it!!

Have a beautiful weekend guys!

[unimportanthomestead]

I've gotta make some of this for us. Thanks for the idea

[robsallotmentchannel]

Hi Jason & Colleen
I am no expert on leaf compost, if I am lucky I get one bag of leaves a year and all I do is leave them in the bag for a couple of years.
Great and very interesting video both, really enjoyed it.
Take care.
👍👍👍👍👍

[jimkingston]

Just popped over from SOW GROW EAT, great videos here have subscribed to watch more.

[Roland]

I'm presently sieving a 5 year old oak leaf pile to use as a top dressing or mulch (depending on the 1/4" sieve. Not really sure what I have though it has that rich earthy smell common in a deciduous stand of trees, it's the wrong color being mostly fallen leaf brown. It's super absorbent once initially dampened. Digging it into the soil certainly makes it far more friable and open to receive more water so adding it to all my vegetable beds for the coning Aussie El Nino enhanced summer after 3 mild and wet ones.

[rodrigoenciso]

The struggles of having to explain to your wife why you’re doing what you’re doing 😂. I feel ya brother!

[emptynestgardens]

LOL I love letting you do the overthinking for me 😁 I just mulch all the beds in the fall thickly and then make my final lasagna compost with the pile of lawn cuttings then a final deep leaf layer on the top. The final layer holds all the kitchen scraps throughout the winter. I wanted to keep bags full off to the side but I ran out of steam 🤷🏻‍♀️ Really wanted to try seed starting from only leaf mold vs seed starting mix.

[CoastalGardensNW]

Hi guys great video I've just turned last years stuff into a new bay last week you need about 18 months to get some good quality stuff, if you can help yourself Jason I'd try not to turn it too much and just let it do its thing

[billjones]

I believe the cutting of the leaves, increasing the surface area has generated the temperature bump. I've heard that 160º is the "killing temp." I would turn it 1 time and then let the fungal properties take over. And yes - you never know what's in the bottom of the bags - I prefer the lighter ones. Ginko leaves are very dense and quite heavy. I'm hot composting this year but would like to try a bin of leaf mould at some time.

[lancpudn]

Hey Jason & Colleen hope you're both well. You're the new royalty of compost corner 😃 You've got some great compost material coming out of your bins.
I got around 150litres of usuable material out of the one pile of mine, Still cold & no sign of heat in this or the other pile 🤔. I've mixed it 50/50 with some spent potato compost & put it in 30litre containers for next years potatoes & some in big planters for flowers for next season. They've all received some chicken pellet & 6x fertiliser as a belt & braces measure 😛. Everything ready for planting up with seed spuds & seedlings for next season.👍
Also sowed some (new to me) herb called 'Savoury' the other week in the greenhouse & it's already sprouting, Apparently used in Canadian cooking from some recipes I've been watching on YT & was very popular in Roman times.
Looking forward to seeing how it grows & tastes. 🙂
Thanks for the video.

[GardeningwithBarchuckin]

Nice score, picking up the leaves. I always think slow and steady for leaf mold. Completely different process than hot composting. But it still requires a little bit of water. Chopping the leaves will speed the process up as opposed to leaving the leaves whole 🍁