How to Make Leaf Mould | Leaf Mould - So Many Uses in Garden

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  • Опубликовано: 26 ноя 2024

Комментарии • 109

  • @funnysods
    @funnysods Год назад +21

    I bought a garden shredder last year after watching your videos on composting leaves. I'd been composting them for years, but just by filling black sacks with them and leaving them for 2 years. I'm just using my leafmould compost from last winter and it's the best I've ever made. i've been gardening for 40 years but I can still learn a few tricks, thank you.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад +2

      I think with gardening and growing your own you never stop learning 👍
      Thank you

    • @scottburgle2169
      @scottburgle2169 Год назад

      Are the black sacks you use breathable or are they solid plastic?

  • @cowboyblacksmith
    @cowboyblacksmith 8 месяцев назад +1

    I'm glad you mentioned the garbage can/weed trimmer method. Out of necessity it's what I use, more work but the end result is superb. I set aside one big shredded leaf bag dry to use as mulch for the Spring garden and keep the decomposing pile as leaf mold magic. It's tough waiting for the end product but it really is such a great soil amendment in addition to compost.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  8 месяцев назад

      👍 it works well, I’ve done straw this way also when growing mushrooms

    • @cowboyblacksmith
      @cowboyblacksmith 8 месяцев назад

      @@SmallholdingUK Oh now that is a good idea as well for the straw, thank you. I have straw like grass from my decorative pampas grass that I use as mulch after its Spring cut down. If the weed whacker makes short work of it that will be so much better than grabbing bunches and cutting with my hedge trimmers bits at a time. I’ll give it a go this weekend, thanks for the idea.👍🏻

  • @madeleineowen8284
    @madeleineowen8284 Год назад +3

    Where I live, in front of my house is a large expanse of grass with three large Oak trees. Two years ago, thousands of leaves fell and I collected them into bags which I kept in the back garden. This year I checked them and rebagged them. Beautiful leafmold. Never done it before, I was thrilled. Five bags of beautiful leafmold.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад

      It is lovely stuff, get your bags ready again they’ll be coming down soon 😊

  • @mamaj6028
    @mamaj6028 11 месяцев назад +1

    I feel so much better because I thought I was the only one who got excited about leaf mould. 😉Great video, thanks.

  • @Outlander929
    @Outlander929 Год назад +5

    I've collected 12 x 120L bags of mixed leaves so far and there are still loads of leaves yet to fall! I made a simple wire cage to contain the leaves and added about a kilo of spent coffee grounds to speed things up a touch as I don't have a shredder. All the other leaves will go in the compost piles and I'm currently waiting for 2 tons of fresh cow manure to be delivered and then it's game on!

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад +1

      Sounds great! Good luck with it all, let me know how the coffee grounds work out 👍

    • @ernstritter7182
      @ernstritter7182 11 месяцев назад

      Thanks for some great ideas. I am working as a garden landscaper and have access to tons of leaves, also hedge cuttings, ground-cover cuttings ivy and wine cuttings as well as branches of shrubs & trees up to 50 mm / 2 in. Have you any recommendations which Shredder/chipper to buy? Much appreciate any input. Regards, Ernst

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  11 месяцев назад

      I was given my shredder years ago, to be honest it’s not the best it clogs fairly often
      If I got a new one I would love a “green shredder” I think used to be called globe shredders, I saw them at a show they look awesome but are pricey they start about £2.5k I have looked at the Hyundai ones that chip and shred with flail blades there much cheaper and look good

    • @Outlander929
      @Outlander929 11 месяцев назад

      @@ernstritter7182 I have a chipper, but it doesn't chop up fine twigs or leaves. I bought a HAIGE - HG-65HP-GGS last year which chipped branches between 2cm and 7cm easily. As for a shredder I think a regular mower would suffice for leaves.

  • @sowgroweat6987
    @sowgroweat6987 Год назад +3

    That looks lovely and organised now with those bays, makes my leafmold bin look very archaic. I really need to shred my leaves as it certainly speeds up the process. Leafmold and 3 year old woodchips make a wonderful seed compost that competes with any commercial peat or peat free compost. Although your 2 yo unshredded pile looks very good

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад +1

      Thank you
      I use my Woodchip so quickly it barely gets to 18 months old but I’m planting more trees all the time in the hope that I’ll have piles dotted around the holding that are really well broken down, maybe another couple of years fingers crossed 🤞

  • @PlantRelated
    @PlantRelated 26 дней назад +2

    Thank you so much

  • @zimmermanlandscape9287
    @zimmermanlandscape9287 Год назад +3

    Thank you for taking your time to share

  • @souljahaden6184
    @souljahaden6184 Год назад +1

    Just picked up a bunch of garden leaves from neighbors to restore my top soil in my garden people should really look into doing this to their gardens

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад +1

      Definitely 👍 it’s a fantastic soil conditioner

  • @batucarumbata
    @batucarumbata Год назад +1

    Love this black gold. Gratitude ❤

  • @radharcanna
    @radharcanna Год назад +2

    A marvellous result. Your enthusiasm is catching! Subscribed.

  • @8oclocktomatotalk
    @8oclocktomatotalk Год назад +3

    Great video, my friend! Love that little sifter. I bought a pretty hefty shredder when we moved on to this property here in southern Indiana, zone 6B. Never regretted it for one minute! Great info here.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад +1

      Thank you, shredders and chippers definitely worth the money
      How much land do you have there?

    • @8oclocktomatotalk
      @8oclocktomatotalk Год назад +1

      @@SmallholdingUK we have 5 acres. Around 2 acres of lawn of some sort or other, the rest woods. So many trees were blessed with! I’m having a wonderful time utilizing these resources :-)

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад +1

      Sounds great 👍
      Self sufficient in firewood then ?
      I love growing my woodland it’s just taken a long time starting from scratch

    • @8oclocktomatotalk
      @8oclocktomatotalk Год назад +1

      @@SmallholdingUK I can only imagine on that Woodland! Yes, we are able to harvest some trees for firewood as we have a wood burner for the house.

  • @aceofspades5786
    @aceofspades5786 Год назад +5

    Put mine in a builder bulk bag and used a strimmer to break them down.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад

      Yeah a strimmer works really well I have done them that way in an old water butt and it smashed them right down 👍good luck with it

  • @Wicky89
    @Wicky89 Год назад +1

    Great video. for me in a very small home the circle mesh will be very practice for me to do I’m excited to give it a go.

  • @LC-wv7tz
    @LC-wv7tz Год назад +2

    take my shredded leaves and apply them directly on my beds and around trees as a mulch. Over time, they end up leaf mold anyway. Decompose, at organic matter and air and nutrients to the soil. If you're wanting to making potting mixes as you do, you really want to make the leaf mold itself as a separate product.
    For me in my situation, though, add leaves over time/in the long run acts a soil amendment to flower and garden beds. I've also taken to just dumping my coffee grounds in my bed. Yes, I could make a compost pile and speed the process. But I don't mind going for the "slow burn" and improving the soil over time. I've always found it hard to balance compost materials. Browns are so plentiful in the fall, but greens are sparse. And summer greens are plentiful with grass clippings and weedings, but browns are hard to come by.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад

      👍

    • @colinguthrie5885
      @colinguthrie5885 Год назад +1

      Best brown I use is cardboard….. all over the place…put it on all my paths between raised beds…. suppresses weeds and begins to compost and stick as sheets into large slow composing area… ( really a giant long wormery generating vermipost ….Still got weed seeds but get huge amounts) …. Don’t bother shredding cardboard as is actually hard for shredders… also forget taking off tape as comes out easily in eventual compost….. look in neighbours bins…. Everyone throws out cardboard but I think most useful tying in gardening …. I’m lucky … by sea so also got seaweed ….. use your cardboard

  • @soilgardengro6942
    @soilgardengro6942 Год назад +1

    Lovely compost ❤❤❤

  • @markshaw5835
    @markshaw5835 Год назад +1

    I'm adding my leaves start into my compost this year. I got a second bin and need the materials to fill up my compost bin. Going to be emptying it next year so it have a good year to break down

  • @adriankap2978
    @adriankap2978 Год назад +1

    Very nice! It’s great to see from year to year its decomposition. I mowed my pile of leaves last year just to get them out of the way so now I’m curious to see what the pile looks like now. I’m buying leaf compost every year not even thinking I’ve accidentally created my own FREE compost. I don’t use any chemicals so I-know it’s Organic material. Two questions, how long do I wait to use the leaf pile? What’s the name of the machine you used to mulch? Mulch machine? Chipper? I’m ignorant when it comes to this stuff. I’m less than novice gardener. Thank you for the great video. It’s so helpful in many ways. Wish more would do it like that.

    • @adriankap2978
      @adriankap2978 Год назад

      Oh, one more, if I add worms in the pile will that speed up the process and is i t worth it to add them?

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад

      I use mine after one year but sieve it as there’s still bigger bits in it, the longer it’s left the better it will be
      I was given my shredder by a customer so not sure what they cost new but it’s an MTD leaf shredder it used to have a big long hose on the front which has long since perished
      Good luck with your leaf pile 👍

  • @falfield
    @falfield 11 месяцев назад +1

    I really like the bays bounded by corrugated iron at the base and mesh at the top. The corrugated base will keep the leaves damp and so you'll have fewer of them still dry and un-rotted than in a pure open mesh enclosure. The wire extension at the top allows you to retain more at initial loading. If you hadn't already got the shredder, I doubt the expense or storage costs of it would be justified. Interesting trick with the Mantis.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  11 месяцев назад

      Thank you

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  10 месяцев назад

      I start using mine after a year but 2 is better I just sieve out any lumps, bags might be quicker, I’ve actually got some bags on the go now ready to do a comparison video at the end of this year

  • @paulsherrod1365
    @paulsherrod1365 Год назад +2

    Good job !

  • @greatsewing6061
    @greatsewing6061 Год назад +1

    Great video. In Brooklyn, leaves are bagged and tossed to a recycling center. Nobody cares to leave their leaves over their grass front lawns. Thanks for the info.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад +1

      It’s a shame more people don’t take advantage of this great free resource
      Thank you 👍

  • @dmbrookfield
    @dmbrookfield Год назад +1

    Loved this, I can't help but think that if you got some insulation sheets on the inside of your composters, you'd get more worm action through the tinter and if you dropp worms in that would be munched down in a year or even quicker instead of waiting 2 years. The worms would love those leaves..
    BTW What is that shredder you have, I've just got acommon mulcher shredder that leaves bits to big. Loved yoru idea bout the strimmer I assume you need metal brush cutter head for that..
    What with the price of compost almost doubling DIY has to be the way to go :)

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад +1

      The shredder is an MTD leaf shredder it had a long hose that has long since perished away
      I used a nylon line head when I used the strimmer method with my smaller D handle straight shaft strimmer, I think the trick with that way is to not do to many at once but it works really well

  • @kevincrain7499
    @kevincrain7499 Год назад +3

    Like your video, you get right down to it.

  • @Allknowingkeith
    @Allknowingkeith Год назад +1

    The leaf inside the barb wire looked great. How do you use leaf mold?

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад +3

      It can be used as a mulch, as food for worm bins, but I’m mainly going to use it mixed with my homemade compost my worm compost and vermiculite/perlite as a potting and seedling mix.
      Compost is so expensive these days and I’m now hopefully self sufficient in composts

  • @proplockfistanterlis
    @proplockfistanterlis Год назад +2

    After you have used your leaf blower and store the smaller leaves do you cover them or just leave them open to the elements ?

  • @thesmirkinggrape
    @thesmirkinggrape 7 месяцев назад

    Wow, thats amazing. Great upload. Im gping to be introducing leaf mulch into my beds this autumn at the allotment. I usually cover my beds with black plastic. As I'm using shredded leaves as a mulch, to over winter them, do you think i should swap the plastic for cardboard to still let the rain get to it, I'm worried the mulch will blow away

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  7 месяцев назад

      I find shredded leaves will blow less than unshredded if you need to use plastic the worms will work away underneath no problem, could try chicken mesh if you don’t like the plastic maybe

  • @eljordan4449
    @eljordan4449 Год назад +2

    Great, thank you. All my leaves, and there are so many, are dumped onto my patio garden from neighbours densely planted lime and leylandii trees, along with the sap and dirt. What can you do with a lot of conkers - also from a neighbour’s giant horsechestnut tree - as the children for, who I collect them up and leave them out, are disinterested. 😢 Thank you

  • @Billbarker57
    @Billbarker57 7 месяцев назад

    If you aren't gonna turn the pile to aerate, you can probably wet the leaf mulch down with nonchlorinated water and throw a tarp over it. You will get a faster breakdown due to saving the moisture and keeping the sun off the outside of the pile. That has been my experience, anyways. I am in a slightly warmer climate than UK.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  7 месяцев назад

      My big piles I turn after one year and fluff up with my tiller then I use from second year
      The 2 year not touched pile was just to see how it looked and to be honest it was just as well broken down
      All my water down here is rain water I have no mains
      I have put a tarp on my second year pile now more to keep the rain off as it was very wet this winter but I’ll leave it on I think as like you say keeps it moist now we’re getting warmer days 👍

  • @rallyeraidr7841
    @rallyeraidr7841 Год назад +2

    i add water, chicken manure and some blood and bone. turn with a fork to help get the oxygen in. I have good usable compost in a year.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад +1

      Adding manures or some greens or fertiliser will definitely speed it up as it’s adding nitrogen to the mix, I like to keep it just leaves even though it takes longer as I then have a lower nutrient finished product that’s better for seed sowing but I can add my homemade compost or blood fish and bone etc to make different mixes for potting on or whatever

  • @sabbyjones2308
    @sabbyjones2308 Год назад +1

    Would love to try this unfortunately I live where it rains from fall through summer

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад

      Where abouts do you live, I’m sure you could do a small batch it’s well worth it

    • @sabbyjones2308
      @sabbyjones2308 Год назад

      @@SmallholdingUK
      I have tons and tons of leaves but never dry

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад +1

      That’s ok they need to be kept moist, if you get loads of rain you could cover the pile with a small tarp

    • @dmbrookfield
      @dmbrookfield Год назад

      ​@@sabbyjones2308 You can make a composter out of wood and put a top on it, I have these huge galvanised platers 1.2m x 1.2 and I fill those up with everything I find, this year I insulated them and started dropping worms in and one of them is just a giant worm bin now, they'd munch throw those leaves in less than 6 months.. As Smallholding says you need moisture. Most people will water their compost .

  • @karan25535
    @karan25535 9 месяцев назад

    Lovely shredder, which company?

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  9 месяцев назад

      It’s an MTD CSV 202B
      It’s very old I’m not sure if they make them anymore but there’s a few out there similar

  • @shobi6359
    @shobi6359 6 месяцев назад +3

    how do you keep the rats from making leaves as their nest/home ? I had set piles of leaf bags in the corner of my backyard and next thing I know is the rats chewed trough the bag and were nesting in them.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  6 месяцев назад +3

      I did have a really bad problem with rats last winter and ended up having to put bait down to get on top of them, I did have some in my compost piles but that’s the first time, it’s usually rabbits digging into them

    • @shobi6359
      @shobi6359 6 месяцев назад +1

      @@SmallholdingUK Yeah I am having the same problem. I never had rats in my compost pile until this year and I have been composting since past 3 years. The only difference this year is that I collected a lot of leaf bags as my carbon source and kept them in the corner of my backyard to use them in this spring. Now I see rats in my compost as well as in the corner where all the leave bags are. It is really discouraging me from having to compost

  • @cherylhowker1792
    @cherylhowker1792 Год назад +1

    If add the dry ones to this years new leaves

  • @jackman6256
    @jackman6256 Год назад +1

    Can you just pile leafs up in garden would that work also

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад +1

      Absolutely, if you want the leaf mould for potting mix etc then it’s best to try and contain it with wire or something, or else it can blow around in the wind but you can just rake into borders under shrubs etc and it’ll break down and improve the soil naturally

  • @gwenb4531
    @gwenb4531 Год назад

    On the two year pile, if you turn the leaves over once in a while, you will have mulch much sooner than 2 years. It is easy to fluff up the pile with a pitch fork.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад

      Yeah those were just left as they are to see what happens if you just leave them, the other piles I showed got turned

  • @pamelah6431
    @pamelah6431 Год назад

    I really need a mulcher that plays that pretty song. Mine sounds like BLEURRRRRRRRRRRRRR

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад

      😆your more of an oasis fan then 🤣

    • @pamelah6431
      @pamelah6431 Год назад

      @@SmallholdingUK I can't believe that anybody feels the way I do...

  • @bobchambers6952
    @bobchambers6952 Год назад +1

    I have oak leaves and they do not rot down very easily any ideas please.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад

      Oak leaves do take a while it’s the tanins in them, you could try mixing a little bit of green material in as an activator but not to much as it would then be more compost than leaf mould, maybe say 10% volume.
      You could also try worms, I’ve just done a video coming out tomorrow making a leaf mould bin layered with worms to speed it up, that could work👍

    • @عباسعباس-خ5ك2ك
      @عباسعباس-خ5ك2ك Год назад

      ضع عليها سائل الخميرة بالعسل الأسود واللبن الرائب وماء غسيل الأرز اعمل كمية ورش بها الأوراق حتى الكارتون اذا نقعته في هذا المحلول سيتفتت ويصبح اسرع بالتحليل شاهدت مقاطع على قنوات زراعية بالهند لايرشون الكمبوست بالماء فقط بل يرش بهذا الخليط أيضا لتسريع تفكك العناصر التسريع بالتخمير وجربت هذه الطريقة وفعلا ناجحة في تسريع تحلل الكمبوست في مدة قصيرة

    • @davidisaacson9328
      @davidisaacson9328 Год назад

      Pee directly on the leaves, or store your urine in jugs and add periodically.

    • @simple4me2
      @simple4me2 Год назад

      Maple leaves are plenty and good.

    • @bsod5608
      @bsod5608 Год назад

      I hsve lots of oak leaves. I mix with other leaves and manure (greens). Its finished compost within a year.

  • @SethCochran1
    @SethCochran1 Год назад

    Do you cover these bays with anything??

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад

      I don’t cover the leaf mould no, I do cover the compost sometimes after the first turn

  • @joerybicki1679
    @joerybicki1679 Год назад +2

    Why not double shred and turn them to nearly powder! , mix with soil and jobs a good ‘n

    • @mikeypc3592
      @mikeypc3592 Год назад

      Well what he's doing clearly works for him.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад

      I struggle to get the time to shred them once 🤣

  • @CalTheKiwi1
    @CalTheKiwi1 Год назад +4

    Shredder? I just use my lawn mower.

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад

      So do i sometimes, but the shredder does break them down much smaller

  • @TroutCRAZY
    @TroutCRAZY Год назад

    Can you post info of your shredder?

    • @SmallholdingUK
      @SmallholdingUK  Год назад +2

      It’s very old not sure they make this model anymore but it’s an- MTD CSV 202 Leaf Vacuum - I’m sure there’s similar ones out there 👍

  • @jackgreene5663
    @jackgreene5663 Год назад +3

    Don't forget to pee on it! it adds necessary nitrogen.