GOLD Is Falling From The Skies RIGHT NOW! Grab It Before It's GONE!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

If you enjoyed this video, please *Like* it and share it to help spread its reach! THANKS for watching🙂TIMESTAMPS here: 0:00 Stop Throwing Away Mulch! 1:09 Mulching Benefit #1 2:08 Mulching Benefit #2 2:18 Mulching Benefit #3 2:29 Mulching Benefit #4 3:25 The Effects Of Mulch 4:48 The Best And Worst Mulches 6:24 How To Collect Free Mulches 7:09 How To Mulch A Tree 8:27 How To Mulch Garden Beds 10:59 Adventures With Dale

[@aphillips5376]

What do you have around your garden beds on the ground? I use lawn fabric and wood mulch but I find its loaded with roly polys.

[@ichoppabroccoli3670]

I take care of my mother-in-law's large yard. In the Fall between the leaves from her trees and the ones that blow from her neighbor's trees I usually stuff around 8 big contractor bags. I never want her to pay me even for cutting the grass once a week through Summer, but she insists. So she pays me to take the dried gold. I just used up last years leaves in the composters. Now we're stocked again!😁👍

[@gioknows]

I drive around collecting people's leaves that they rake up and put into those brown bags every October. My soil is so rich now. Cheers from Ottawa, Canada🍁

[@TheMillennialGardener]

We had a year's worth of rain in the summer. I hope we don't get a drop until 2025. I'm loving the rainless forecast.

[@brandywineblue]

Back home in NJ there's been hardly any rain since August 15

[@Trishafairweather]

Our neighbor across the street always blows and collects his leaves on garbage day. He told me I was free to collect it when ready! He’s so sweet that he also told me I could dig up a bare root of one his prolific flowers once they’ve gone dormant during the winter. I just love gardener neighbors!

[@AaronYeomans-q4p]

It helps that you're hot. Lmao

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I'd take every leaf I could get 🍁

[@katherinecornette5315]

This is how I’ve created all of my gardening beds. Our N.C. clay soil becomes a great garden soil with time and leaf mulch.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You must be inland. My soil is straight sand 😆

[@katherinecornette5315]

@@TheMillennialGardener NE Raleigh 👍

[@baneverything5580]

My "soil" here was the hard concrete red dirt mixed with pebbles that you find 15 feet underground in Louisiana because they bulldozed a rolling hill to make this lot and then added gravel. You need mining equipment to plant a tiny rooted fruit tree cutting. I swear I had to order a MINING PICK to plant my fruit trees! I chopped and hacked at the ground for three days with a spade to get a tiny hole to put my first fig tree in. Since late 2022 I`ve had to create all my soil from leaves, rotting logs, grass clippings, leaf mold and sandy soil from a wash between hills. But I finally had a great harvest this year.

[@MaineMax-jm4uw]

Really? I need to try that. I'm in North Carolina to in Warren co. Lots and lots of Clay up here, I'm surprised even grass is growing where I'm at

[@juneramirez8580]

I just got about 8 big bags from a neighbor that said she had to rake those leaves that fell from a neighbor's tree into her yard. She was going to throw them out. I found a good use for them!!!

[@baneverything5580]

My main garden has about 2 inches minimum of grass clippings, crumbled rotting logs and chopped leaves on the surface at all times. Very few weeds and no grass and tons of very large night crawlers and earthworms. For the first two years I`ve kept it thickly chaos planted with edible cover crops like a lot of southern peas, beans, greens, turnips, squash, melons, radishes, okra, cape gooseberries, ground cherries etc to create soil. I`ve hauled in forest soil and debris and made mounds in the garden. I started with no topsoil and now I have 5 to 8 inches of rich black soil. I`m repeating this process under fruit trees and in other areas where even grass won`t grow. I create new garden areas by filling rows of double cardboard boxes with this basic mixture and adding a handful of my rich garden soil and a few of the worms to the center. I plant right away in this and everything grows well. I grow vining Red Ripper Cow Peas under my fruit trees but keep the vines on the ground for a ground cover and to fix nitrogen, keep the wild bunnies fed and out of my main gardens, and get a harvest of dry peas. The vines make great compost under the trees after the frost gets them.

[@starsfromheaven7382]

I used to drive around on garbage day and collect bags of leaves for my garden.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

One man's trash is another's treasure.

[@homeofbeads]

I did this week

[@TheRainHarvester]

OPG !

[@dao8805]

I have been mulching for years but this is the best single dose of information I have ever seen on the topic. Thanks so much and thank you for reminding/educating your viewers about heartworms in dogs. It's great to see Dale getting top notch care and enjoying it at the same time :)

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I’m glad you enjoyed it! We have seen so many dogs go through abject misery (and pass away) from heartworms. They are so easy to prevent. People think dogs are wild animals, but they aren’t. Their lifespan in the wild is next to nothing. They aren’t natural creatures and need our care to survive.

[@rvboondocker2559]

Excellent work! We usually put about 4 inches of leaves on top of our garden at the end of the season. First I put down all of the garden compost that I have created for the past few months. Then I add whatever leftover potting soil is laying around. Lastly, I add about 4” of leaves to the top of that and let it sit through the rain and snow, and have beautiful additional topsoil by the beginning of April!

[@elikerr785]

This is basically my plan, although I have been unsure if I should add soil from all the containers I've grown in this year.. I'm gonna take your word for it and add it onto the compost layer before mulching. When you say 4", is that packed down thick or somewhat loose still?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

That is a great plan!

[@michaelmosley254]

I mowed a bunch this morning while the dew was still on em now comes the fun part raking em all

[@rockyusa2012]

Love the leaves, they are like gold for the garden soil.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

For sure!

[@howardfowler2255]

Every gardener of fruits and veggies should see this video .MG does a great job( as usual) of explaining why leaves are so useful in the garden. I cover my winter garden here in East Tenn. with a thick layer of leaves sandwiched in between a tarp that sheds water. It's helped me harvest greens,lettuce,etc. in mid winter even after temps in the single digits. Leaves are truly nature's gold that is free for the taking.Thanks MG man and here's some hearts for Dale❤❤❤!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you. I appreciate it. Leaves are the forest’s primary mulch. If it is good enough for the forest, why not for us?

[@tobiesmom]

That heartworm chew must really taste good because my dogs love it, too. I'm glad you brought this topic up because it's so critical to be diligent about giving your dogs their preventative medicine, especially here in the south!

[@vindictivetiger]

Glad to see you again! I was worried about the hurricane's effect on your spread. Looks like you're recovering nicely. Well done.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

We're on the coast, so we were about 300 miles from where Helene hit. We did not have any impacts.

[@marciawarden5021]

My son takes those things from friends and some of our neighbors! He always says..mom would it embarrass you if I’d stop and ask those people for their bags 😂..my answer..NO..IT’S FREE!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Those leaf bags are free for the taking, but you always run the risk that there may be more in there than leaves 😬

[@juneramirez8580]

​@@TheMillennialGardenertrue

[@marciawarden5021]

@@TheMillennialGardenerthat’s true and be careful not to accept grass clippings with chemicals.

[@amyk6028]

Perfect timing on this video 🎉 I just ran my lawn mower yesterday running over all the leaves on our driveway, bagging them up and dumping them on my raised beds ❤ I love leaf mulch!

[@abdriver5563]

I made the composter , first I did not know how much I threw out , second it works great have made a ton of compost .Thanks

[@happyhobbit8450]

I've been doing this for 3 weeks now. My property is the forest ... I'm in the Rocky mountains. I rake in the trails -- poplar, maple, and birch leaves and fir needles as well as twigs (I toss the bigger branches back into the forest. I cover the garden beds with the leaves and then put coffee bags over them to keep them there. I told the neighbor lady that I was sore from raking and she said I should leave some for the trees. She obviously is repeating city people gobbly goop ... I couldn't possibly not leave some for the trees. The best soil is under the trees!!!

[@barco581]

Another great video and very timely. We put our gardens to bed in early November and will be tilling in Maple Leaves to add organic matter for next year, topped of with Winter Rye. I have spoken to professors of agriculture and am done buying expensive bags of compost-they confirmed that science says plants do not know if their organic material is coming from leaves, seaweed, straw, grass clippings, etc. Everything gets broken down into basic nutrients and then the plants absorb it.

[@robertmirabilio5940]

I have been making leaf mold for 48 years by shredding all my leaves and mixing some compost greas clippings and soil so they decay faster.. After the first year they have decayed enough to be used for my summer garden and flower beds.

[@Allknowingkeith]

This is the number one info you want to know as a grower. Best way to prep the soil.

[@KeystoneGardenMomma]

This is so true! I am surrounded by maple trees and have a neverending supply of leaves. My husband runs them through the shredder part of his wood chipper and they come out amazing! I am able to put a 4 inch layer on my beds in the fall and have plenty left over to add into the compost pile all year. Thanks for another great video!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Very nice! Thanks for watching.

[@brandywineblue]

Dale has eyes that could melt the iciest heart. Good boy, Dale.

[@urbangalfarmroots]

I LOVE leaves--as do the worms! They really boost the life of the soil!

[@DaleKuntz-e8i]

I was just looking for a video about mulch this morning. I alomost bought mulch but now I don't need to. Thanks, Dale

[@elikerr785]

Perfect timing! Last few days here (7b/8a) the leaves have really been coming down finally... got 5 acres mostly forest so I'll have plenty. Also, I haven't used pine needles, but I can imagine they're similar to baled straw as far as how they interconnect and can be a little more difficult in raised beds. I used straw this year (1st year gardening) and while it's been better than nothing, I realize now how much easier chopped straw would be. Sometimes i'll just grab a big handful worth of straw from a bale, and just shake/grind it up in a milk crate over the beds, and get the loose/smaller stuff separated and down around plants first.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Pine straw really locks tightly. It also takes a long time to break down. This can be a blessing or a curse. If you want rapid organic matter, it isn’t great. If you want longterm coverage, it is fantastic.

[@ChristiLynnOutside]

Always entertaining and funny while teaching important gardening information at the same time. Thank you for all the hard work. Keep Growing! ♥

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I appreciate it!

[@lindag9975]

I always look forward to my deciduous fruit trees shedding their leaves. Free mulch for my beds! Especially the big fig tree! And I have a large backyard pine tree that usually drops lots of needles in the early summer here in the Phoenix area. So those pine needles and the pine cones get used as well.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I always say, the best thing to feed a tree is itself. I mean, it has *all* the nutrients it needs to grow.

[@blackkennedy3966]

Trees drop their leaves for a reason they’re trying to create a good environment for their soil and roots and feed the fungi they form mycorrhiza with using the waste they produce (leaves) . Make sure to leave some leaves at least, so the tree can recycle some of the nutrients it has extracted and also again to nourish the soil. Forests are created when trees have the perfect environment and this starts when a collection of trees slowly terraform their own land using leaf fall and dead trees being recycled and live trees attracting rain through convection eventually a forest forms.

[@dalekennedy4320]

I mow my lawn with the riding mower with a mulch attachment on it and then mow it again with my self propelled mower with a bagger on it. This really grinds the leaves into very small particles.

[@GreenLove1]

Very important advice, thanks so much for the PSA. In addition to mulching, I love piling up my leaves and making leaf mold, which is one of the best potting soil or any kind of soil mix additive. Cuts down on my use of Coco-Coir and peat moss as well. I have a pile that I keep adding to every year, and I use the finished product from the bottom of the pile, while adding new leaves to the top. Talk about garden gold, this literally saves so much $$$;!!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

The trash can composter works like a champ for that application.

[@xdraconicgaming5204]

I wish this was an option for me. The only people with maple trees here are rich and I’m not about to knock on their door and ask for their leaves. I also walk/bike 50 km per day so I’m not about to go for a walk in the woods to collect 3 or 4 garbage bags of leaves. You’re right incredibly lucky to have access to that resource

[@davidsonowski414]

I agree I grab the leaves as much as I can to put in my garden and I also pick up 5 gallon buckets so I can be imaginative the next year as to what to grow as they say Free is me

[@paultaylor7570]

We have a lot of maple trees. I use the riding mower to grind the leaves up. Then I use the push mower with a bag to collect the leaf mulch. I store the leaf mulch in 55 gal. water barrels in my lean to. So far, I have 5 or 6 full 55 gal barrels full of leaf mulch. I use them the following year for side dressing for all my plants. Also for fall spinach, cabbage, and carrots. You can never have enough. All my plants love them..!!

[@nancycongiusti7526]

I have 5 new raised garden beds im getting ready to use in the Spring. Ive been blowingvthe leaves into the beds, then I stomp on them. I feel like Lucy stomping grapes. Lol Hey...it works!! 🍁🍂

[@hoosierpioneer]

I concur with your heartworm advice.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It is *the* most important thing you can do for your dog. We worked with a local shelter for almost 3 years. The effects of heartworms were devastating. All it takes is one mosquito bite and your dog is a goner if left untreated.

[@angelsellsthe603]

I save leaves from our maple trees and use them in my chicken coops for the winter. After it ages all winter they will go into the garden beds.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Good idea 💡

[@TheBestPaJam]

Awesome!!! First year I’m gathering leaves. I did this on Wednesday. cant beat free and easy.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Exactly!

[@maureencollins1377]

It would be great if you could add frequent "plugs" for creating habitat for overwintering beneficials in our gardens. Leaving areas of leaves lying au natural is vitally important in giving a variety of pollinators a much needed place to complete the winter portion of their lifecycles.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I recommend leaving as many areas as you can heavily mulched. When you do, as soon as temps warm up, things explode with growth. Naked soil turns into dead sand in the top couple inches from sun damage and erosion.

[@ginp6077]

The city goes around with big trucks and picks up leaves. People rake them to the curb and they get sucked up into the truck, taken to the landfill where they are composted and sold for high dollar. They also use the sludge from the sewage treatment plant and our county extension agent says it's not recommended for food gardens. So all those leaves are wasted. Nobody sets bags of leaves out for pickup because they charge $$$$ for yard waste. We used to drive around looking for bags set out for pickup but gave up because we just weren't finding enough to make it worth the time. We suck our leaves up off our own yard and spread out in our vegetable garden.

[@patriciamiller1916]

I live in the desert and there are zero leaves anywhere zero! When I go to visit my son in Mississippi he has so many leaves I want to bag them up and bring them home.....well probably not a good idea as we do not have ticks or chiggers here ;) I so covet people that have leaves. I get leaves from my citrus trees once a year when they bloom and drop lots of leaves. Palo Verde bloom once a year and I go around gathering wheel barrels full of blossoms for my compost...again once a year. You are so lucky to have leaves!!

[@ann7318]

I use the leaves and various garden debris and kitchen scraps in my garden always. I have multiple compost piles going at the same time. Most our leaves are down. We have drought right now (no rain for the last 8 or 9 weeks+), but hopefully we will get fall rains soon. I find wet leaves easier to rake than dry ones, but will do it either way.

[@ticktock2383]

I am raking my leaves and chipping them with my standup leaf chopper. Bought yrs ago. Using for mulch. Willl save me about $300.

[@rondastafford4970]

We will be keeping our pine straw from now on . We don’t have many leaves from tree as we have mainly pine trees.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Pine straw is amazing mulch, especially for trees and landscaping.

[@eviemaddox3038]

When my maple tree was small and didn't provide many leaves, one time I drove by a house with a beautifully manicured lawn with a BUNCH of leaf bags set by the curb. I thought I would grab them real quick, but soon realized they had already been mulched and were HEAVY. I had to go home for reinforcements (kids) LOL

[@gardentours]

I've also been busy today collecting leaves 🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🌝

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Excellent!

[@virginiamchone2204]

I collected leaves from my uncle's farm last week. Maple leaves are the best. Going to my Aunt's today to collect more

[@jaytoney3007]

The leaves have just started falling in my area, mostly red maple, Dogwood, and Poplar. I run over them with a lawn mower, and put the chopped leaves in two trash bins, my compost bins, and spread them in my unused raised beds and any place there is empty space. Soon the oak leaves will be falling too. I've been buildiing my soil this way for six years.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Sounds like an excellent method.

[@rcgkreations]

I was thinking of making my own Trashcan composter!

[@JackieHorsley-z8s]

I Totally understand what you mean I use Leaves in my garden beds too there so good for the soil my Containers I use wood Mulch Because I am working with such a small area and leaves just don,t work In my Small containers

[@mariap.894]

Dale is loooking great, his coat is shiny! He's so handsome 🐕💕

[@TheMillennialGardener]

We cook 80% of his food and have him on a couple vitamins. He gets the royal treatment and is the best looking boy in the house, by far.

[@mariap.894]

@@TheMillennialGardener You can tell!!! He looks so huggable 🤗🐕💕

[@louannchapuis3444]

I did add a thick layer of leaves to all my garden beds last fall and had a HUGE roly poly infestation this summer. The leaves certainly keep moisture in, but I’m nervous to try it again. 😮

[@gregdoh]

I use so mulch leaf mulch in the fall and supplement with local marsh hay in the summer. We have so many walnut trees though which I don't like to use due to the juglone, so I collect it from other areas of my yard and also take it from my neighbors. Great video!

[@gregdoh]

@@Freeland-Farm I always compost them as that breaks down the juglone, but I don't use them as mulch. There are still quite a few leaves that end up in the garden, so my goal is just to reduce that number therefore reducing the amount of juglone without getting too anal about it. Do the best with can with the time and knowledge we have!

[@steveott1369]

I collect all my and neighbors’s leave, shred them, and put them in a chicken wire/ t post bin. Let sit for 1-2 years. Pure black gold leaf mold.

[@jobiet]

you are such a sweetheart. Nice guy and very kind and caring to your dog. Thanks for these videos.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I appreciate it! Thanks for watching!

[@bosquebear1]

I get leaves from town and use them for mulch and to protect my figs.

[@alfredmcintosh16]

What do you feel about chicken compost. I have about 100 chickens so I have plenty of manure. I usually add it into my garden in the fall and then I cover up the rows. Then in the spring I am ready to plant.

[@ZJhontu1]

I pick up bags that the townies have to sack. I have BLACK SOIL from years of this. Worms that any bass would jump on. And veggies that are so… mmm mmm mmmmmm. Still got tomatoes goin (Big Boy) to ferment. Man! So good!!!

[@ZJhontu1]

Cut em bite sized. Non iodized salt. (Choice of flavoring seasoning). Like 10 grains of yeast. 5-15 days. Just depends on how I need me some lunch! Dang!!! Gut health like POW!!! 55 years old. Bet I can take most 25-35 year olds. 😆 💪 But I don’t eat crap foods. Drink no crap drinks. Vits n Supps. Different duuuuude.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Worms love rotting leaves. It's like a worm magnet.

[@hildalopez1252]

Excellent garden advise! Thank you 🌹🌻🍄

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@kristin143]

i have tons of this from all ovwr surrounding our property, i used them in my garden & d rest are just place them in our sides of our yard cuz i just literally have too much!

[@juliettebarbados6031]

My garden space is in a raise bed community garden. I share the space, and my partner is planting lettuce and spinach (Washington, DC) at this time. I have several pots in the garden with perennials (Hibiscus, Dahlias, Blueberries, Butterfly Bush) that are now going to sleep. Should I cover the soil in these pots with leaves? Should I cover part of the raised bed not in use with leaves?

[@JohnWood-tk1ge]

Turned my compost pile today then cut of the dead yellow asparagus from my one bed of Mary Washington and gave it a good layer of compost nice and black. Soon I will mulch it,first I want to work on getting leafs chopped up and added to compost.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

My asparagus is starting to brown, too. Soon…

[@nildaotero2933]

Great video, thanks for sharing. Dale is such a good doggie ❤️

[@honeybadgers1996]

Great tips. Since I don’t have any falling leave trees except millions of pinyon and juniper trees, I typically purchase straw bales for topping. I’m afraid to use grass bales bc either wild animals or rancher’s cows would come and eat them overnight even it’s fenced in. I wonder if I could use those mulch at the bases of pine these tree…? I lost my first dog from heart-worm disease when I was a child. It was awful. Mr Dale is a very lucky boy his parents take care of him very well. Thank you for sharing your video.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Check your local county landfill. They may give away free load-your-own mulch. It's quite common. Some counties even give free compost. Heartworm treatment is so important. We saw *so many* heartworm positive dogs come into the shelter. The treatments are so safe, so effective and so inexpensive these days. Sorry for your childhood loss. I can't imagine how hard that was.

[@TheTruthShallPrevail777]

Timely video! Thanks so much for your wisdom!

[@tinad6812]

I love collecting leaves in the fall. I’m looking forward to it. I have been eyeing every fallen leaf lately. What is that little white thing hanging from a Shepard’s hook in the rear of your garden by the orange and avocado? It looks like a little beehive or bug house. Nice video. Leaves are like gold to a gardener.

[@allisonfox4311]

Thank you for the reminder!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome!

[@j9seviltwin]

Question for you. 2 years ago I had to have an oak tree taken down. I had most of the tree chipped up for mulch. Half of it is still in a pile. Now it looks like its got white fungus growing in it? Can I still use it for mulching my garden?

[@donbowden8582]

Do the pine needles change the ph. I always understood they were acidic.

[@ITigerbaum]

Another excellent video! Thank you.

[@derekmorris7128]

Great video, it is also amazing to me at all the gold that many gardeners throw away. Unbelievable.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

People don’t know. That’s why I love making educational videos. People will see this, learn something new and dozens, maybe hundreds, maybe thousands (if it goes viral) will learn something new.

[@smallick100]

Thank for the wonderful video! I just have a question for you. When the wind comes, it will blow away most of the leafs from the raise beds. How do you prevent that? Do I put some kind of sheet on top of the leafs?

[@mindlessmanpwr9530]

I have a tone of pine trees around so I usually use the pine needles

[@TheMillennialGardener]

They’re excellent for fruit trees.

[@nancycongiusti7526]

All my dead leaves are going straight into my raised beds for Spring. So excited!!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Good plan!

[@alissahoke9215]

I really enjoy your videos. Just got ideas from your cold hardy fruit tree one. I’m trying to plan my summer 2025 garden and need help. I’m going to grow rampicante, cucuzzi, Odessa and a cantaloupe. Is there a problem in growing these on the same trellis or close? Always heard it’s a no no. Thank you!

[@dropattieramsammy1462]

Thank you God bless you always 💖 😘 🙏

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! You, too!

[@westleyanson]

👍🏼👍🏼 I am known in the neighborhood as The Leaf Thief 🍁

[@harveyhandbanana]

🎵In a crooked little town they were lost and never found. Fallen leaves, fallen leaves, fallen leaves on the ground🎵

[@ChuckP25.]

Thanks Anthony. Thumbs up from Iowa. Hugs to Dale.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching! Dale says hi 🐶

[@margaretm7554]

Hi. Is shredded paper a good mulch?.

[@SusanWang99]

Thoughts about slugs hiding in the leaf mulch?

[@eugenebridges8854]

Beautiful back yard

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you!

[@brad4527]

Great video!!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you!

[@johnwilson3866]

Would you use all these materials for compost or mulch or does it really matter? Both of them would be good, correct?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes. Shredded leaves are a little easier to use in the garden, because they break down more quickly. Whole leaves and pine straw are excellent around trees, because they take longer to break down.

[@ChristyThorington-zp6dx]

What about in my greenhouse in CT? I’m afraid to bring leaves in as there may be bugs!

[@JanDSouz]

How to ensure that leaf mulch doesn’t get blown away? I’m in the Chicago area and it gets pretty windy here

[@juliebarnett9812]

Thanks, bro! 👊🏼💥

[@TrogdorBurnin8or]

I'm skeptical of one point. There aren't enough pallets around to fulfill our mulch needs (and they're studded with nails and staples!), and the landscaping industry & recycling centers produce an abundant supply of extra wood to shred, not to mention the bark castoffs from our timber industry itself. I think most dyed mulch is softwood scraps from dimensional lumber production. I work with pallets in good and in scrap condition every day, and I work with dyed mulch, and the mulch would look very different with regards to things like flat faces & 90 degree angles if it was made out of pallets.

[@markmcmonagle6794]

What are the barrels for?

[@Mudskipper9876]

You are a national treasure. Your advice is solid, your research top engineer level, and you love your pup. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and kindness.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you, so much! I *really* appreciate it!

[@dianesmith9380]

Thankyou

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome!

[@JenniferZadell]

If you collect from neighbors and not knowing if its fertlized is it still safe to pick up and use? That's the delima im facing now.

[@Maitaicup77]

Hi! Can you use the mulched leaves for strawberry beds? TIA!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Absolutely!

[@nancyholston6746]

Wow! Didn't realize you would assign us homework! 😂

[@Metalgarn]

Personally I prefer compost as a mulch over anything else... those leaves do help fill out the compost pile though. :)

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Compost isn't mulch. The benefits of compost include the beneficial bacteria cultures. If you spread the compost without a mulch layer, the sun is killing your beneficial bacteria. The two must be used in tandem. Always protect your compost with a mulch layer.

[@Metalgarn]

@@TheMillennialGardener It's the same difference really. You put on a healthy layer of rough compost... the top couple inches dry out and become 'mulch', the lower inches stay as healthy compost and enrich the soil.

[@peaceofmyhearthomestead4611]

Dale❤️❤️ 🥰

[@gdnaylor]

Pine needles kill grass is it really safe for protecting out soil?

[@christine9467]

My electric mower does a great job mulching the leaves BUT I have to have it on its lowest setting which destroys any grass under it, plus rocks could be in my piles. I bought a blower that chops leaves but it won’t chop them up small enough as I have very tough live oak and Monterrey oak leaves. Anyone know of a better way? Weedeater in trash can did not cut these suckers small enough either 😮

[@peggymatela7188]

Are walnut leaves ok to use ??? We have 6 huge trees

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Walnut, or black walnut? Some folks don't like to use black walnut wood chips for mulch, because the high juglone content can interfere with some plant's growth. If it is a black walnut, I'm not sure if the chemical is confined to the wood and if the leaves are fine. If it's an English walnut tree, that is a different species.

[@TheRainHarvester]

Do you ever use grass clippings ?

[@TheRainHarvester]

Why do my comments disappear?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

No, because I have a southern lawn and I use Weed And Feed on it. Because it contains growth inhibitors, I don't use it as mulch. If you don't treat your lawn, you can use the clippings.