October 30, 2024, 6:02 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
A practical and sustainable way to make good use of the leaves that accumulate in the fall is to make leaf compost. Here, you can find out what to look out for and how it differs from traditional compost.
In the fall, not only do leaves fall, but they are also a valuable resource for the garden. Instead of taking all the leaves to the recycling center or filling the organic waste garbage can with them, it is worth using the leaves. They can be used to protect flower beds in winter or swept into piles to provide hedgehogs and other animals with suitable winter quarters, or they can be turned into valuable leaf compost.
What is so special about leaf compost?
The production of leaf compost is particularly useful. Compared to conventional compost, this is low in nutrients and is therefore not as suitable as a fertilizer but rather as a soil conditioner for many plants. Because leaf compost is finely crumbled and relatively free of unwanted weed seeds or root residues, it is also ideal for making potting compost. The only disadvantage is that it takes up to two years for the leaves to fully compost.
Which leaves are suitable for leaf compost?
In contrast to traditional compost, which consists of a mixture of different organic materials, leaf compost is mainly made from leaves. Leaves from fruit trees such as apples and pears, as well as from trees like hazelnut, hornbeam, maple, acacia, alder, ash, lime, elm, and willow, are particularly suitable. Leaves from chestnuts, walnuts, oaks, or poplars, on the other hand, are less recommended as they are difficult to decompose.
Build your own leaf composter from wire mesh
Building a leaf composter from wire mesh is a simple and cost-effective way to compost leaves. Alternatively, such wire baskets can also be purchased commercially. If you choose to construct the basket on your own, you will need a roll of sturdy, close-meshed rectangular wire, ideally 120 to 140 centimeters high.
Depending on how big you want the basket to be, cut a piece from the roll and join the ends together with a piece of wire to create a cylinder that is open at the top and bottom. The diameter of the basket should be at least one meter (approximately 3.28 feet). For a basket of this size, you would require a section of the wire roll approximately 3.14 meters (about 10.3 feet) in length. An additional ten centimeters should be added so that the ends overlap and can be fastened together. A piece of wire approximately 3.24 meters (roughly 10.63 feet) long will suffice.
Caution: As the wire poses a risk of injury, it is advisable to wear gloves when working with it.
Creating leaf compost
The wire cylinder is set up in a suitable place on unsealed ground and, if necessary, secured with ground anchors. The first layer is a layer of autumn leaves thinly covered with mature compost. This compost layer contains important soil organisms that start the decomposition process. This is followed by alternating layers of leaves and thin layers of compost. For faster decomposition, you can add grass cuttings, horn meal, manure, or nettle manure. These are rich in nitrogen and, therefore, speed up the process. Alternatively, a conventional compost accelerator can also be used. As the leaves shrivel up quickly, new leaves can always be added.
Leaf compost with or without added lime
Leaf compost has a naturally low pH value, which makes it ideal for plants that prefer acidic soil. These include blueberries, cranberries, lingonberries, rhododendrons, and azaleas. If you wish to use the compost for other plants, you can adjust it with algae lime to increase the pH level.
Caring for the leaf compost
If the leaf compost is quite dry, it should be thoroughly watered once to get the rotting process going. The compost must not be allowed to dry out in the following months either. It should be turned in the spring. After about one to two years, the leaf compost is ready. If you want to compost leaves again the following fall, it is better to create a new compost heap.
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