What do you do with your leaves when they fall ?

[mgmine]

There comes a point where there are too many leaves. I have lots of trees. Even after mulching the leaves I still will have numerous 8 x 8 foot piles 4 feet high. I tried composting them one year but all I ended up with in the spring was a wet soggy pile that I couldn't move. Burning is the only way to get rid of them when they first fall.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

There comes a point where there are too many leaves. I have lots of trees. Even after mulching the leaves I still will have numerous 8 x 8 foot piles 4 feet high. I tried composting them one year but all I ended up with in the spring was a wet soggy pile that I couldn't move. Burning is the only way to get rid of them when they first fall.

Yes, Mgmine, I do not think most get the amount of leaves we both have. We have two rotating piles, each is at least 12 x12 and more than waist high. Even cutting up with the mower and then the leaves are blown into a big box trailer then pulled to one of the piles it is still high. It takes a full year for a pile to brake down, that is why we have two piles, we alternate adding new to the opposite pile . Two years ago we took down 8 trees, but we still have plenty of trees, in the front alone, right now there are 20 --180 foot trees. Yes, a wooded lot is pretty, but no one can imagine the work. Before I can even cut grass, I have to go around and pick up any limbs or twigs that has fallen with my wheel barrel, and that can be sometime 3 wheel barrel loads. Well then after a good storm, there are 8 wheel barrels loads that come out, and the dragging away of huge limbs that fell to the burn pile. I should be skinner, not fair. so now this year is the added thrill of the nuts falling, and the noise they make and the extra raking , because the lawn mower does not pick those up. and the care not to slide on them, should they land in the paths. AND, hoping not too many babies surface from where the squirrels decided to plant them.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

oh, yes, Burning the leave, your right Mgmine, I also burn when I can. or where I can. Right now we have one more stump we want to burn down, so I can burn on top of it, and work at it with leaves and some limbs, twigs. Our burn pile is huge now, Waiting for less dry spell before we light it, and of course will drag the hose near it to keep it at bay.

 

[DeborahJane]

I have tried composting the leaves but have decided it's easier to rake the leaves onto the garden beds as mulch. I'm not as keen on the look but it's just too hard to rake and move all those barrows full of leaves. There's enough work as it is and I, too, Esther should be slimmer and it ain't fair mine absolutely nothing to do with looking forward to my evening meal with a wine or two!

 

[Esther Knapicius]

unfortunately, if I moved my mulch leaves in my gardens, I would not be able to find my plants. Truly, the amount of leaves I have I am not bluffing, We do have enough property for the piles down by the woods edge.

 

[DeborahJane]

Yes Esther, I have seen your videos and I know you have a huuuuuge lovely garden so the leaves would be overwhelming. I have 3/4 acre which by your standards would be quite manageable I'm sure. I feel like I never get on top of things so you must have a constant very long list of things to do. A bit like the Sydney Harbour Bridge....Paul Hogan is credited with saying words to the effect that when you've finished painting it you start all over again at the other end!!!! I think we can all relate to that I think.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

lets just say, we are still raking in February.

 

[ReadmeByAmy]

We do not have that much fallen leaves in our garden my mother is automatically sweeping it at once and then burnt it.. My mother everyday is taking care of our garden that is why even there are only few fallen leaves you will not see them scattering around in the lawns or in the ground.

 

[purplepen88]

We usually rake the leaves. We have a lot of maple trees on and nearby so we get a lot of leaves falling on our lawn in the autumn. We have to get rid of them. It becomes an entire family affair on a fall afternoon. Once we bag most of the leaves then my husband will mow the lawn for the last time before the snow falls and mulch or bag whatever is left. It's a big job to take care of the lawn and garden in the fall. We've just had our first frost in Ontario and we lost all our impatiens in our front garden bed.

 

[amelia88]

We have to rake them, because otherwise it would just be a sea of leaves in our yard. We have 2 large trees in our backyard and one at the front that all are heavy shedders, so there end up being leaves everywhere if we don't stay on top of it. Thankfully it's a job that me and my husband both don't mind too much, so we both chip in.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

the wind blows from left to right. my lazy neighbors to the left of us do not rake their leaves as they should, so some of their leaves come on our property due to the wind. 4 years ago my husband had it with them, he put up a fence along that side to stop some of the leaves, it helps.

 

[Beth_B]

Lots and lots of leaves here too.
The side yard, I just let them sit, it's sort of "wild" there.
The rest get raked up...some I pile on top of the perennial and vegetable beds, some go in the compost pile, the rest are bagged and put out for the township to take away.

 

[Buggs81]

I try to rake as many leaves as possible, but it gets exhausting with the big cotton wood trees I have in my yard. Luckily my goats enjoy the leaves, so I just throw them in their pen and they eat them right up! I also try mowing over the areas where they are not as thick. The lawn mower seems to sort of chop the leaves up.

 

[rz3300]

Well thanks for reminding me of all the work that I am going to have to do here soon, but I rake 'em and bag 'em. Now that I think about it though, there are not that many leaves on the trees as of now and I really have not done much so far, so maybe I will be getting a much needed break this year. Fingers crossed I guess.

 

[Fernsdaddy]

Well thanks for reminding me of all the work that I am going to have to do here soon, but I rake 'em and bag 'em. Now that I think about it though, there are not that many leaves on the trees as of now and I really have not done much so far, so maybe I will be getting a much needed break this year. Fingers crossed I guess.

I've started to rake leaves, with the dry summer and now its getting colder at night the leaves have started to change colors and some have started to fall, It,s too early for them but I guess it gives me a head start. I"ll chop them up and spread them in the flower beds.