Fallen leaves equal free soil conditioner

Q. During fall, everyone throws out bags of leaves. I've heard that recycling leaves is good for your garden.

A. Each year, yard waste accounts for more than a million tons of our state's solid waste. Why not rethink the whole concept of garden rubbish and the ecosystem. Leaves provide a terrific free soil conditioner. As the leaves begin breaking down, they provide a home for earthworms and an array of insects; earthworms is a good indicator of healthy soil.

There are several ways you can recycle leaves. Till the leaves directly in the garden, or shred the leaves with your lawnmower and use as mulch. Shredding helps break down the leaves much more quickly; this makes it easier for microorganisms to do their work. Shredding the leaves also prevents them from packing together into stacks that repel moisture and seal out air. To use as mulch, apply several thin layers (3-4 inches in depth) of the shredded leaves around tree trunks or bushes. Keep the mulch 6 inches away from tree trunks.

Q. Can hay be used as mulch?

A. Many times hay and straw are used interchangeably. However, they are not the same. Hay is an assortment of forage grasses that can include seeds of grasses and broadleaf weeds. Therefore, it is better suited for feeding livestock. On the other hand, straw is a collection of the stems of field crops such as wheat and oats. After the seeds have been threshed, the dry husks are sold as straw. It rarely contains weed seeds. It makes a good winter mulch because the hollow stems hold air and act as insulation for the plants below.

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