How to make and use leafmould

Autumn brings a carpet of leaves, which take a long time to compost. It is best to make leaf mould with large quantities of leaves in order to make a fine, brown compost-like material, which can be used in the same way as compost.

It is very easy to make leafmould. When you have gathered up your leaves put them into a container and leave them to rot down. A wire enclosure or a black sack will work fine for this. It is best to collect the leaves when they are wet as this will help them to break down quicker, if they are dry, water them a little as you place them into the container.

Leaves will take a year or two to decompose into a useable form. To speed up this process you could mix the leaves with some grass cuttings, this will result in a much richer leafmould.

Your finished leafmould can be used in a variety of ways, it can be used as a weed-supressing and moisture-retaining mulch, dug in, spread over a lawn, sprinkled over seeds or for making potting compost. Leafmould will improve the physical structure of the soil and make it more fertile.

HDRA have produced an informative Leafmold leaflet available here.