Composting your garden leaves in the autumn

Raking the leaves up in your garden is an annual task that can with some planning create some great compost for your garden especially if you have some acid-loving plants.

The same guidelines apply to create compost from leaf mold as other types of composting.
To create a compost heap or clamp one of the best solutions is to use 4 old builders pallets, one for the base and three for the sides leaving the front open. Then you can simply rake the leaves into the front of the compost heap.

As you start to add the leaves apply some Growmore fertilizer and some lime. Both a handful per approximately 8 builders wheelbarrows full of leaves.

Once the compost heap is full adding some weight on the top such as a couple of building blocks will help. Then in the winter add some old carpet on top of the heap to keep the compost heap warm and the leaves breaking down in the winter months.

It’s also important to make sure the leaves in the compost heap are kept damp but not wet. Ideally, as you squeeze a handful you should just get a few drops of water.

Some leaves such as beech and oak leaves are best composted on their own as they take longer to compost than other leaves such as lime and alder for example.