Make the most of leaf litter and use it as natural mulch on your garden beds.

Make the most of leaf litter and use it as natural mulch on your garden beds. Litter Leaf. Photo supplied by: The Avid Gardener

How much should you use? It is possible to have too much of a good thing!

We recommend around 5cm depth on perennial beds and up to 10cm around trees (remembering to leave a well around the collar, or base, of the tree). Any excesses can be used in your compost bins.

Benefits of using leaf litter:

🍁Leaves naturally decompose over time improving organic matter and soil nutrients (organic mulch needs to be continually replaced to keep working magic in soil and for plants).

🍁Leaf litter helps keep soil temperatures warmer over winter and cooler in summer, thereby protecting your precious plants.

🍁It’s the ultimate in recycling by utilising natures resources.

🍁It helps to suppress weeds.

🍁It’s free!

For best results, use small leaves directly on beds. For larger leaves, use a shredder or lawnmower to cut into smaller pieces to prevent matting and mould.

  • Photo: The Avid Gardener

  • Photo: The Avid Gardener

  • Photo: The Avid Gardener

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Henrietta Hood

Henrietta Hood is a horticulturist and one half of The Avid Gardener, Orange - the other half being the delightful Peta Swift. The two friends cofounded their business back in March 2020 (just as the world pandemic was announced) and haven’t looked back. Together they have a combined 35 years experience in gardening.

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