Leaf Mulch 2023 Update!

[@parihav]

After watching your previous videos, I collected a huge amount of leaves last autumn to add to my heavy clay soil. I laid them down prior to winter, and kept excess to mulch throughout the growing season. I didn't need to buy any top soil all season. My yields were tremendous. Leaves are 100% the best soil amendment I've used. Thank you so much for documenting your progress throughout the years. Extremely helpful information!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you @parihav and congrats on your success! Keep it up and spread the word.

[@HOLYLAND007007007]

​@@growitbuilditFor your cabbage try ground up egg shells make a ring around all of your cabbages about 6 or 7 in wide of ground egg shells they wont want to crawl on it

[@davidisaacson9328]

@@HOLYLAND007007007 Sorry....but that's just an old wives tale. Slugs going after my peppers this last season, didn't mind crushed up eggshells at all. Stale beer left in a cut down beer can works.

[@biffmalibu3733]

Buy a cheap electric leaf shredder. I started grinding all my leaves up and its amazing how much faster they break down. I found an old beat up electric one for 10 bucks at a yard sale. I also shred all my garden scraps in the fall as well. They don't blow around either so they stay put.

[@baneverything5580]

My soil is hard red clay turned to an extremely solid concrete almost. 3 to 4 inches down in the best area. I mulched with pine straw and grass clippings and mass planted mustard greens and legumes of all kinds. Red Ripper Southern runner peas grew all summer. Before that it was green beans, blackeyed peas, and purple hull peas. I just found very deep areas of rotted, moldy leaf and pine straw turned black in the woods. I`ve been loading my garden wagon and dumping it in piles in my garden and covering it with pine straw for now.

[@marniewilliams6485]

My mother did something crazy! She had just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She was a master gardener. She had never used leaves or mulch in her garden, but we did have rich loamy soil. She went driving around and took bagged leaves left at the curb that were meant to be picked up by the municiple waste truck. She dumped all of them in her garden. Like you, she had a great harvest, as usual, and no weeds. As the leaves were decomposing, walking in the garden was a challenge. Years have gone by since my mother's last garden in 2018. The garden has returned to a grassy yard. No evidence of all those piles of leaves remain. Now I'm trying to have my own garden in my yard using things my mother taught me. Keep your leaves!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you for sharing - I fully agree in regards to the leaves!

[@paulgreenleaf600]

Don't give up if you have a tough year or two...maybe three years. It takes a little bit of time to develop and learn a first garden but if you keep doing it year after year you will become a master yourself.

[@JenniferZadell]

Is it safe to take neighbors leaves not knowing if the lawn has been fertlized ?

[@geoffb108]

Composting autumn leaves and using as mulch is a Bacic a gardening skill that has be used for a long time. People seem to see a garden as something that needs to be neat and ordered. I am always amused at the reaction I get when I ask if I could have their lawn clippings and leaves. Most people just don't understand that the potting mix and the compost they buy is made with the garden waste they pay to dispose of.

[@growitbuildit]

It's crazy - even other gardeners in my neighborhood don't use their leaves.

[@SeattlePioneer]

As I understand it, in the millennia before lawnmows were invented, often sheep, goats and cows wandered around neighborhoods eating the grass. That's probably a better use for grass than as mulch. No need to cut it or move it around, except by using a halter!

[@nobodyreally8441]

I tried to even buy lawn clipping, but nobody in my area bags their clipping. 😢

[@Wildwwill]

I have 5 large maples worth of leaves I mulch for the garden. I wait until most have fallen and begin to dry. I use a riding mower to push them in rows. Running backwards over them mulches the best. Mulched and mixed with grass clippings. What doesn't stay in the lawn is raked and spread on the garden. My sandy garden soil has improved immensely over the last 8 years.

[@growitbuildit]

@@Wildwwill glad to hear you are getting the same results as me

[@Ozzy.Kopec1]

I have been piling leaves on my garden for a good 30 years now! About 5 years back I had a soil test done. PH was neutral so all those leaves over the years did not make it the least bit acidic. Majority of leaves are maple varieties (silver, Norway and assorted hybrid ones) with cottonwood mixed in from one neighbor’s house. Some folks laugh when they see all the leaves I pile on in the fall, but they are all gone by the end of summer. Robins love flicking leaves around in Spring and nabbing worms.

[@growitbuildit]

That is awesome to hear Ozzy - glad to know you haven't had any pH issues. And very happy to hear you've been doing this so long with great results!

[@TrickleCreekFarm]

Love the arrival of the Robins!

[@kated3165]

Leave piles also make good shrew habitat! I leave strategic leaf litter pathways so they can safely access key areas. Little buggers will do away with a massive slug or earwig infestation in no time! Also great at keeping voles and mice away from the house! Plus they are adorable.

[@GrowingUpJersey]

For years, I have driven the neighborhood and stuffed as many bags of leaves in my small SUV as I could for use on the veggie beds with any excess stored in a big wire fence bin to be used during the growing season. As I am getting older, I can't keep up with an active compost pile, so I sheet compost on the beds with the leaves, plant trimmings and kitchen scraps. I grind up the kitchen scraps with water in a blender and pour it over the leaves. The worms take care of the rest. This is especially good in winter. Come spring planting time, there's a nice compost layer and tone of worms under the leaf mulch.

[@growitbuildit]

Sounds like you've developed a good system that gives great results

[@Utah_Mike]

I do the leaves in the fall, grass clipping all summer.

[@growitbuildit]

Sounds like you've got a good system going.

[@ct2136]

I love the amount of detail and recording, this first hand experience so much more useful than general guides.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you! It takes a lot of work, but it doesn't just say what to do but shows actual results!

[@andrelabonte2294]

I’ve been doing the same for 5 years now here in eastern Ontario Canada and have the same results as you. Easy and costs nothing but time. ☮️🇨🇦

[@growitbuildit]

Exactly - nothing but time!

[@NanasWorms]

We had a very dry summer here on Vancouver Island, too. That caused our big leaf maple to start dropping crispy leaves in August. We collected them right away before any rain hit them -- resulting in slug free leaves. I use this for bedding in my worm bins. Now that the remaining leaves are falling and the rain has begun, we'll make leaf mold for our garden in giant mattress bags. No leaf goes unused! ~ Sandra

[@growitbuildit]

That is excellent - I fell the same way about leaves. The majority of my trees that surround my property are Black Locust, and they are too small to rake. So I have to gather all of mine.

[@steveladd1]

@@growitbuilditf😊mm😊

[@FrancisFenderson]

I teamed up with a local landscaper this year. My county charges him $50 per load to dump leaves! He's saved over $1000 this season by dropping them behind my garden and I have a massive pile that will turn into beautiful compost. I also put a call out on FB and the Nextdoor app after Halloween for pumpkins, which people dropped off by the dozen. All of that material is breaking down now to the benefit of my soil. It's amazing what people throw away!

[@growitbuildit]

You struck a goldmine!

[@MI-Figs313]

Nice before and after experiment worthy of a research paper.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you! That is my goal, even if I don't take standard measurements!

[@threeriversforge1997]

Great documentation, and it's been really helpful to share your videos with folks who don't understand the power of leaf drop as a soil amendment. I've shared your videos far and wide, and it's been an eye-opener for people every single time they see just how big the transformation can be.

[@growitbuildit]

That is awesome - thank you for sharing the videos. I truly like hearing that they are helpful. It's funny that people don't believe how powerful leaves are. I actually told my parents about them several years ago, and stressed how they should be putting as many as they can on their garden....they were skeptical. This year, they became believers!

[@threeriversforge1997]

@@growitbuildit It's amazing how people can be. I appreciate you doing the legwork to document the soil change. Your channel is a fantastic resource for folks that need to be shown and not just told.

[@lisalikesplants]

This is fantastic, so helpful for everyone who has clay soil and wants to grow a veggie garden. My neighbors have a couple maples, so I've got lots of great leaves for compost. We had a drought here in the Midwest too, and I had a hard time keeping up with watering the veggie garden. Thanks for another great video! 🍂🍁🍂

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Lisa! That is awesome that you have access to so many leaves next door.

[@hergardendiary]

In my town, they get the crew to pick up leaves in which they take to our dump and burn. I wish that people would wake up and realize just how fantastic these leaves are and that we need to put back into the earth what we are given. It's litteral GOLD and people just throw it away. Fantastic video. I just dug in a few bags into my garden and will cover with compost in the Spring. Thank you 😊

[@growitbuildit]

You are very welcome - leaves are just about the best soil amendment, that is insanely valuable, and is wasted by so many. It's really a tragedy!

[@lpmoron6258]

Can you not start a movement to gather the bags and use them yourself.

[@hergardendiary]

@@lpmoron6258 I do

[@bsod5608]

The closest neighbours of mine drop the bags at my fence :) less work for them to get rid of them, and more leaves for me. Win-win

[@lpmoron6258]

@@bsod5608 unfortunately my nearest neighbors prefer to burn theirs! It is a waste but with 5 cats and two dogs, I am not sure I would want to use those!

[@Adam-ti7vo]

I look forward to these videos each year. This is one of the most balanced series out there informing us of the benefits of leaves.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Adam - I appreciate it.

[@beccafichtner5305]

Love this update! I used leaves last fall and the results were amazing. We're fighting drought and the leaves kept the soil soft and moist for much longer than using grass mulch. I'm looking forward to the long term benefits as well.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you! I'm very happy to hear you had the same results as I did. Good luck!

[@ThomasBolling]

Hey man! I've been doing the exact same thing for no reason whatsoever for almost the same amount of time. The past 5 years I've just been taking the leaves and putting in my gardens and flower beds. I've always suspected that this is the smart thing to do mostly for weed control. But over the years I've noticed how nutrient-rich those garden beds have become. And anything that I plant in them grows like crazy. People should start paying more attention to things like this and I appreciate coming across you and reaffirming my suspicions that I am correct. The only thing you did that I haven't is dig it up and measure. I just keep doing it and it keeps working.

[@growitbuildit]

That is awesome Thomas - love hearing from people who have been having the same success I have! Keep doing it and happy gardening!

[@KudapAnjampiani-ve8pt]

Saya dari Indonesia, saya sangat salut dan senang dengan channel anda, terimaksih untuk edukasi anda🙏

[@growitbuildit]

Terima kasih atas kata-katanya yang baik. Semoga sukses dengan taman Anda di tahun ini.

[@fedupwithem6208]

I don't have a lot of leaves in my yard but I do bag my grass when I mow, and I fill up several Jet Sleds with dead, dry seaweed from the beach. I mulch and bag the seaweed with my lawn mower and cover my gardens with it and it adds so much to the soil.

[@growitbuildit]

Wow - that seaweed sounds like a great resource.

[@fifeohfarmingnstuff4416]

I use Leves to grow Potatoes. My leaves are falling now and I've been gathering them. It's so simple, pile leaves up in the fall, n around March, make rows in the leaves, add your seed taters, n cover the Taters up, So easy and the taters come out so much cleaner....

[@growitbuildit]

That sounds awesome

[@Randy_Smith]

I've really enjoyed following your progress. I started using deep leaf mulch last fall in my in-ground beds and a 32" high raised bed. In my in-ground beds I had results similar to yours, about 2-3" of obvious soil improvement and I noticed a lot more worm activity. In the 32" raised bed I didn't really notice much difference in the soil because the top 10" was already homemade compost. What I did notice though was an UNREAL increase in worms. There were already a few worms in this bed but with it being so tall I didn't expect a lot. After adding the leaves last fall the worm population exploded! Between the leaf mulch and all the worm castings I had better production from that bed than ever before and I didn't have to add any fertilizer. I just put all my beds to bed for winter and topped them all off with about 8" of leaves and covered them with bird netting to keep the squirrels from trying to start a walnut farm in my backyard.

[@growitbuildit]

That is awesome Randy - Glad to hear your in-ground had a big improvement. And that is really interesting on the 'explosion' of worms in your raised beds.

[@cowboyblacksmith]

Ha ha, I have black walnut trees I never planted too from squirrels, pull them out a lot. I've collected roadside bags 30 so far and mulched up more than half with my weed whacker and piled high to break down until done. I also mulched with freshly fallen leaves all of my beds, something I hadn't before. Worms go crazy over leaves! I added bokashi to my garlic beds and man oh man are there ever a ton of worms, it's vermicompost central whereas the non bokashi added beds just normal. Between the leaf mold and plain leaves, bokashi and compost and a cover crop of black eyed "peas", I expect that soil next Spring to be amazing. I can't get enough of leaves even though I collect a lot, they’re such a limited time to collect I simply hoard them. I always reserve some bags to mulch up when I plant new crops, easy and cheap way to mulch and you get the added benefit of soil amendment when they break down.

[@charleschapman2428]

At one time I had a bager on my riding mower and would mulch and bag. After that I had a small chipper for branches, the kind you get at the big orange store. The chute on the chipper would lay flat on the ground and I would dump the bagged leaves on the ground and just rake them into the chute, it would actually suck the leaves into the chute. The chipper had a large bag to collect the chopped up leaves and it held quite a large amount of leaves. The leaves would come out chopped to about a quarter inch and I would just take the bag full and spread them in my flower beds; the leaves were so small that they would rot down over the winter and in the spring I had nice compost soil.

[@growitbuildit]

That would be an awesome system

[@Nick-me7ot]

its beautiful how intelligent our universe is. The seemingly simple act of leaves falling and the impacts it has on a whole range of organic life.

[@growitbuildit]

I couldn't agree more Nick

[@zulu5oscar765]

Thanks for the update. I did this last fall after watching your videos in all my raised beds. In the spring, my neighbors observed all the worm and insect life and how the soil looked great underneath the layer of leaf mulch. I just moved mulch aside to plant and sowed seeds with good success. In 2024 I will use your idea of using boards to help the process. I enjoyed the lack of weeds, watered less, had great yields, and by this fall the leaves were mostly decomposed and ready for a layer of compost and a new layer of leaf mulch. I shredded some leaves, but I'm experimenting with putting the leaves down on some beds without shredding. Using leaf mulch along with a no dig organic approach makes me feel like a pretty lazy gardener! My neighbors are now using the same method you've shown in your videos. Thanks again!

[@growitbuildit]

This is just about the best comment I could ever get on leaf mulch. Thank you!

[@erinwys216]

This is exciting! Last yearwas my first year in a home surrounded by forest, so the leaf situation was overwhelming. But we just bought a leaf vacuum/mulcher so I can actually use the leaves instead of just blowing back into the forest. So excited for the next few years of building up my garden soil!

[@growitbuildit]

That is awesome - good luck this season Erin. I hope the leaves do well by you!

[@nosajsamaniego4512]

U r gorgeous;

[@SeattlePioneer]

Heh, heh! You don't often find people getting excited over leaf mulch! That's probably an indicator of happiness and contentment in life, I'm guessing.

[@Luna-yf3wx]

I’ve been doing this for years. People think I’m crazy, but it’s so good for the garden!

[@growitbuildit]

Let them think your crazy - it's their loss!

[@Herhighness211]

I’ve been waiting for this. I was so happy to see this year’s update. I’ve been following ur lead since last year. I started but putting down rotted pumpkins, chicken manure, cardboard, tons of leaves, and topped with woodchips. My area is teeming with worms (& some slugs too). I can’t wait to repeat the leaves and pumpkins. I missed some seeds and inadvertently grew some pumpkins though. It’s looks amazing. I live the updates.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you! And sounds like you've been doing great at adding free fertility too!

[@mikeb1039]

Cardboard can be iffy as we've pulled up 7-8 year old cardboard that was still intact (not rotted). Like leaves, if stacked in layers the layers smoosh down on each other and CAN (in the right conditions of dryness) make a very dense cellulose material that doesn't rot real well and stops the flow of water downward. FWIW

[@Herhighness211]

@@mikeb1039 yes. I’m very aware! Early on I had to pull back a leaf carpet of sorts and break it apart. It’s been good so far. The cardboard that I swipe from the local Wawa dumpster area has been doing super good for me. I only use brown/matte boxes.

[@kadiam8860]

Love this video! I put a small pond and a bug hotel in my garden. They regulate the garden for me.

[@growitbuildit]

I've got a bee hotel, and a HUGE wildflower garden very near my garden. I wonder what my garden would be like without them.

[@d-not_telling]

I have a very small lawn and raised beds for my vegetables. I put all of my grass clippings (about 1/2“ or so) in my raised be as mulch. In fall I put about 2-3 inches for stay there over winter. In the spring I turn that into the soil. A game changer.

[@growitbuildit]

I'm certain it does. Organic matter, in whatever form you can get it, makes all the difference of the world.

[@kittyskid1]

I concur with everyone who thanks you for documenting your use of leaves. Your videos are my biggest gardening find. I moved to a new place and am about to start a new garden. I have the leaves and will incorporate your leaf advice. Thank you so much.

[@growitbuildit]

You are very welcome Kitty - congrats on your garden and good luck! The leaves are the single best thing you can do.

[@nurfuerverrueckte]

Your update of last year opened my eyes to the amount of benefits of leaf mulch. Now in Fall I can finally use this knowledge. My frontyard sports a /thick/ layer of all the maple leaves my street has to offer. Blackbirds go crazy.

[@growitbuildit]

That is perfect - I mostly use Maple leaves, as that is what my neighbors rake up.

[@MinTubaTuba]

Hi Joe, Thank you for these videos of your attentive gardening. A few notes: - It might be worth reminding your viewers to give some care to the selection of leaf/tree-species and sources. - Some tree species are allelopathic, meaning that during normal growth they produce chemicals which suppress the growth of other plant species. These chemicals may be strongly present in the fallen leaves. I believe that Black Walnut is an example of this in North America. - Leaves collected from roadsides, after neighbours sweep them to the kerb, may contain various pollutants harmful to plant & human health, such as heavy metals. These pollutants may be drawn into the plants as they grow. - Brown/dried leaves typically have significantly lower nutrient-levels than fresh/green leaves, with Nitrogen levels typically dropping the most. Adding leaf-mulch will certainly increase the organic content of your soil, as you have amply shown, but especially Nitrogen-hungry plants, such as tomatoes, may lack this key nutrient. - The organic breakdown of the leaves requires Nitrogen as a fuel. For leaves at the surface, that Nitrogen will be drawn from the air, but uncomposted material (eg. Leaf-mats or unfinished compost, as in this video) within the soil will result in leeching of Nitrogen from that soil, reducing fertility. - There are certainly more advanced, and more productive, ways to go, but simply mixing (green) grass-clippings in with the usual leaf-mulch would significantly increase the content of Nitrogen, and other nutrients. A simple method: Spread the dry leaves loosely over your uncut lawn, and run your mower (on a high-cut setting & without the collector-box) over the area at least once. Then mow & collect as normal. This will both chop the leaves more finely (aiding decomposition) and mix them with the grass-clippings. - Using some portion of your leaf-harvest to create fully finished, matured compost(s) specific to your plant's needs would be very much recommended as a longer-term strategy. While heavy leaf-mulching will add organic material to your soil, it is also 'diluting' the mineral content. Eventually you will be planting into semi-finished leaf-compost, not soil. - Soil-tests can be tricky, and even misleading, but (with some study) can be critical. If your viewers are working 'blind' by simply adding more and more organic material each year, serious nutrient-imbalances may build up in their soils. Just as with our intake of vitamins, etc., high doses may cause more harm than good. Living soil is a world in itself, and worthy of study. Starting slow, and building understanding & confidence by steps, is a good way to go. There are very few reliable sources of soil-science (and yes, soil-science has more than caught up with hard-won experience in recent years), but Dr Elaine Ingham is one. I look forward to more of your videos.

[@sonicclang]

Thanks for the update! I've been watching your videos since 2019. I was excited when I saw this come up in my KZbin feed.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you @sonicclalng! I'm glad you've been enjoying this series. You've been here since the beginning!

[@mikeb1039]

30 years ago at my first house I spent some years shredding LOTS of leaves with a Vornado Leaf Eater (Highly recommended). I'd add a solid foot of well shredded (stops that layer of undecomposed) leaves. The outer cell layer of leaves doesn't break down readily. and protects the tender tissue underneath. Chopping up the leaves with a mower or Vornado makes them rot much MUCH quicker. When i moved from there after 8-9 years I could easily stick my hand down into my raised beds up to my elbow. As you know, the resulting garden plots were amazingly healthy and productive.

[@growitbuildit]

That sounds awesome Mike - I didn't know regarding the outer cell layer. I've found that mine will generally breakdown over the course of a growing season - but that is happening primarily by fungus/mitochondria. It takes longer, but I really like the natural weed barrier.

[@mikeb1039]

@@growitbuildit The few weeds that do germinate are easily pulled out of the loose, friable soil. Keeping the seeds from getting sunlight stops most germination. That foot of shredded leaves would be reduced by half by spring and by the end of the summer back to "bare dirt" (actually new 1/2"-1" of new black soil). Shred the leaves on your lawn with your mower and they are gone in weeks. Once that layer (there's a name for it) is broken up it's amazing how fast they break down.

[@T-Mo_]

I like mine. I got one last year that is probably 20-30 years old. Filled up a 8ft diameter composting bin last fall with the shredded leaves and spread it into my beds last week. Its a dark mix, looks somewhere between mulch and compost. I also put a ~4inch layer of unshredded over the entire garden because it takes so much less time than shredding.

[@harrellt1405]

Well made video…and even better content that took 4 years to make

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you! It was worth the wait.

[@JoeFeser]

Thanks!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you so much Joe! I greatly appreciate it!

[@JoeFeser]

@@growitbuildit You are welcome. I am about to start a 4x4x4 leaf chamber this fall / spring in Houston.

[@stephaniethomas7207]

I love seeing the progress. I've been using leaves as compost in the fall but wondered if I was just giving bugs a place to live. So I appreciate this video, I'm taking it as confirmation what I'm doing is good for my garden.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Stephanie! Keep using leaves - you will have results like I do.

[@harryb3217]

Now that I am retired from work and have a lot of time to start growing Fruit and vegies. I now listen and watch Gurus like You. Great info about a great subject. This morning I have commenced building an appropriate sized Composting Bin. I do understand your tutorial on the benefits of Leaf Composting and Leaf Mold. Thanks seriously for You Info. Yes I am now subscribed.

[@growitbuildit]

Excellent - I'm very happy I could help you out Harry. And it sounds like you are getting off to a good start - good luck this season!

[@gardengrowngroceries]

My entire backyard had been a Back to Eden-style yard covered in wood chips. I subsequently decided humping wood chips around the yard to spread them out was waaaay too much work, and that leaves would offer more nutrients than wood chips. So 2 years ago I began covering my backyard in leaves 4-6 inches thick. They now slowly break down over the course of the year, but there is always a soft layer to walk on. For my numerous planting beds around the yard, I use leaves as a mulch as well, but these I chop up with a lawn mower to speed up their decomposition. Now, n matter where I stick a spade or shovel, I get thick, rich, dark soil. I heartily agree leaves in the garden are the way to go!

[@growitbuildit]

Leaves are the absolute best. Sounds like you have a good system going.

[@lucycliburn2344]

You probably hear this from other people, but try not to shred at least some of the leaves, because helpful insects and bugs winter over in them. If you can, give them a chance to complete their life cycle, and you will be amazed at the difference.

[@gardengrowngroceries]

@@lucycliburn2344 I actually haven’t heard that but it’s good to know. Still in my garden beds I’m looking for them to break down fast. Well, when it comes to leaves nothing is ever really fast. But the microbial life and other flora and fauna living within has the entirety of my backyard to do their thing :)

[@JazzTechie]

Leaves + grass is a way better mix. Much more rapid decomposition, and you’ll also get a lot of worms

[@growitbuildit]

I'm actually happy with the slow decomposition. My results are great, and I like not having to weed anything all season.

[@ChessKombat]

I have been watching our videos and each year I look forward to the leaf update! I too mulch with as many leafs as time and weather allows me to gather in the winter for my garden. I began my first couple years with having some slug problems but after that my slug problems had gone. I put down wood chips as walking paths and avoid walking on the leaf areas to aleviate compaction. Chips for walking, leaves for growing. The woodchips provide homes and shelters for many kinds of ground beetles. A predator for slugs. Let them move in gradually and take care of your slug problem for you. If I worried about losing produce to slugs, I planted a couple extra just in case.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you and thank you for the tip. This was really the first time I had ever seen slugs in my garden.

[@peterstevens6555]

Kia Ora & Good Afternoon from Caribbean Drive, Unsworth Heights, North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand …Great Video Bro …

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you! Greetings from Southern Pennsylvania!

[@chelsearuiz6601]

Your channel has me proselytizing the virtues of leaves! I've recommended your videos to anyone having garden trouble. I'm a big believer in the K.I.S.S. method to gardening (keep it simple) and for most problems people have in the vegetable patch- compost is the answer. Especially if you can compost in place. Win win

[@growitbuildit]

Absolutely KEEP IT SIMPLE. And thank you for recommending my videos - I truly appreciate it.

[@jcdiver522]

This is my 3rd year watching this progress and I enjoy it every time

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you JC! Glad you are enjoying it.

[@PeonyandRoses]

You’re amazing! Such an inspiration! I have just collected dry 🍁 the other day to add to my compost bin.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you!

[@urekmazino6164]

Been watching your updates on this since like 2021, such a great series

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you - It's amazing to watch it happen. Crazy how fast it builds up, and is so easy.

[@deonngregory9808]

Thank you for this video. This summer I began thinking about using leaf mulch along with my compost for the first time. I've been waiting for the leaves from my neighbors gigantic oak tree to fall so I can get started. Your video was informative and very timely!

[@growitbuildit]

Hi Deon - the oak will provide lots of material for you. One thing to be aware of though, Oak leaves tend to take longer to break down. Now, this isn't something you need to worry about, but just manage your expectations. Everything turns into compost given enough time. If I had a large Oak tree I would use every single leaf in my garden.

[@Jhardy1864]

Lesson learned! I will no longer have my leaves bagged and taken away as yard waste. Thanks for sharing.

[@growitbuildit]

Excellent - you won't regret it!

[@SeattlePioneer]

This year I'm experimenting with growing several plantings of lettuce with the hope of extending my lettuce harvest into the late fall and perhaps winter. Your leaf mulch video was interesting, and now I'm considering covering those lettuce plants with leaves, with the hope that the lettuce plants will survive the winter and start growing in the early spring, providing me with new lettuce much earlier than starting seedlings in the spring. I also have compost piles which consume leaves and grass clippings. My neighbor has a couple of BIG oak trees, but doesn't get much in the way of oak leaves on his property. Those mostly fall and blow into the street, sidewalk and MY property! So oak leaves plus leaves from a boundary hedge provide a pretty good amount of leaves, and perhaps this year I will be able to use all of them for useful purposes. Anyway, it's an activity I find amusing for this retiree. I like to say that EVERYBODY needs a hobby!

[@growitbuildit]

That would be awesome if you could have your lettuce survive the Winter from the added insulation. And that is great that your neighbor's leaves blow on to your property. And finally, I agree 100% - everyone needs at least one hobby! With no purpose in life, you just wither away.

[@SeattlePioneer]

[@growitbuildit]

I look forward to hearing how it went

[@CorneliaHicks]

Gardening is my favorite hobby in retirement. Just covered plants with leaves for warmth. Will now do that compost pile and cover all of the beds. 🤞🏾

[@johnhansen8272]

Love these videos and cannot believe I’ve watched each year without any effort on my part.

[@growitbuildit]

That's awesome John - I'm glad you've been enjoying them.

[@chanoone7812]

Hitting the like and dropping a comment , Ty for the excellent content

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you!

[@owlislike]

Thank you for this video. I am starting leaf mulching on my garden space which has sandy loam soil that is almost totally devoid of nutrients. I am so excited to watch this process!

[@growitbuildit]

This has been the single best thing I've ever done for my soil. I hope you have all the same success that I am having.

[@richardkut3976]

Leaves are great soil builders. Thanks,

[@growitbuildit]

You are welcome - and I fully agree, 100%

[@gabbyfowl]

My father in law always used leaves and his neighbors leaves in his garden in South Georgia. He grew the biggest tomatoes I have ever seen and the taste was wonderful. He kept the little old ladies of his church happy with fresh veggies all summer and fall.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you for sharing - I'm glad to hear I'm having the same success as your father in law!

[@Honken]

This is so incredibly informative. Thank you for sharing your findings!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Honken! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@GrandmaSandy]

Hi my dear friend thanks so much for another great video another great garden inspiration, hugs and kisses from grandma, Sandy and Debbie

[@growitbuildit]

You are very welcome - I'm glad you found it helpful!

[@ceciliabakkila7485]

I like you give info not mixed with entertainment. Thanks you kindly for sharing.

[@growitbuildit]

You are very welcome Cecilia - I much prefer information over entertainment too. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@kathytaylor9798]

SO TRUE! If you have great soil, you will have great plants. I am constantly being asked what kind of fertilizer I’m using. Although I do use a little bit it’s mainly good soil.

[@growitbuildit]

100% agree - build your soil and the rest will take care of itself

[@austin2842]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. Regarding leaves blowing around and covering seedlings... I use leaves to mulch my raised beds, and find that combining them with grass prevents them blowing away. They knit together and stay in place, but don't get matted or compact.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Austin. Good tip on using the grass with leaves. I don't know if I will try that as my area is quite large, but I will keep that in mind.

[@lindafreeman1687]

I use Sluggo. It's organic and seems to work good. Great video. I do leaf composting and then put it in my raised beds when I put them to bed for the winter. Thanks for sharing.

[@growitbuildit]

I'll have to check out Sluggo - thank you for the tip. And thanks for the kind words, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@barbellgardener]

Great video! I have been using leaf mulch for 10 years in my gardens with great results as well. Can't wait for next spring!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you - and that is great that you get the same results as I do. I bet your black soil goes very deep.

[@RandWFarmstead-TonyWalsh]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@growitbuildit]

You are welcome - it's been great for my garden.

[@Y4n6]

I've read oak leaves deter slugs but they also inhibit seed germination. We had historic rainfall this year... the areas with oak leaf mulch didn't get hit nearly as bad with slugs as the areas that didn't have it, but eventually, everything suffered the slugs. I also discovered slugs love marigolds more than squash plants. I replanted soo many times...

[@growitbuildit]

Oak leaves are just tough in general. They take much longer to break down, but break down they will in time. Apparently they've got tannins that slow decomposition and probably make it unpalatable. They also are great for helping to suppress Japanese Stilt Grass, which is probably for the same reasons you mentioned.

[@pamelak819]

So glad for the update!

[@growitbuildit]

You are very welcome Pamela - glad you enjoyed it!

[@didierchapelot5671]

I was wondering whether I should put compost and leaves and this video shows me I should add both. Thank you.

[@growitbuildit]

You are very welcome - because of my experience over the last several years, it has become my policy to use any and all organic matter on top of my soil. It just works.

[@charlesburkhart800]

I like the cedar board idea, will try it. We use >100 bags of leaves every year from the neighborhood. Bad slug problem the first couple of years but then beetles multiplied and it seems to level out naturally. We did discover Asian jumping worms as we were looking more closely at our soil. Then skunks, etc. started walking through the gardens at night and we saw evidence they were digging the pathways and some in the garden to eat the jumping worms. Our soil has not seemed to suffer because of them. Nature finds a way. Thanks for your videos! NE Ohio.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Charles! Glad you found it helpful. The cedar boards really seemed to help, and I am using those same boards again this year. As much of a fuss jumping worms cause, there isn't really any solution. So it is best to adapt, as the skunks appear to be doing in your area. Good luck, and I'm very happy you are enjoying my videos!

[@NovelFindsByKassi]

Thanks so much for keeping us updated!

[@growitbuildit]

You are very welcome Kassis!

[@edgeofentropy3492]

I found a municipality that has, literally, tons of decomposed leaves. I put a 8 inch layer down, and planted clover. Yeah, clover. The stuff you can't get rid of. Well, it lasted a few months. When Summer drought hit, that clover died...every bit of it. I found that nothing would grow in this stuff because it dries out too quick in the sun. This year, I'm covering that black gold with some clay and wood chips. The clay will add some water holding capabilities, and some minerals. The mulch will hold in the moisture. The worms are munching away right now. Gave your video a like.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you! Interesting that the leaf mold would dry out that quick. Thank you for sharing.

[@bettyvancrey9944]

Leaf mulch is incredible. Any mulch, except the dyed mulch type, is good for any garden or around trees and shrubs in general at least 3 inches. I highly recommend a triple ground premium hardwood mulch, especially for close to the home or in front of the home for a finished look but also it works itself into the soil and does the same thing. This video shows with leaf mulch. I plant all of my shrubs, especially my roses in leaf mulch. It gives them a good Headstart and roses like soft soil.

[@growitbuildit]

Fully agree with you Betty

[@christronixbeats]

Don't forget the eucalyptus leaves 😉

[@donnahoward4236]

Wonderful video, always enjoy the experimenting and report of observations that you do. I had clay soil to start with and leaf mulch is what has given us rich organic soil too. Earthworms seem to love the leaves also, it was the leaves and earthworms that converted our hard soil to good black soil. I had wanted to grow cabbages at some point so was interested to hear that slugs like them, I'll stay tuned to see what solutions you might come up with. Also interesting to note the difference in your lawn due to the drought. That's definitely a pretty bad drought. Thanks for the informative post.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Donna - I will keep doing these updates, as it is valued by many people. Thank you for the feedback. I will try to research some solutions over the Winter and see if I can keep them away, or at least reduce their numbers.

[@fazeinhaze2687]

Thank you for sharing this great experiment.

[@growitbuildit]

You are very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@shanec8812]

I've been doing this for a few years and it is amazing how the black gold soil that it produces.

[@growitbuildit]

It is the single best thing you can do for your garden

[@peacefulgarden]

Love, love, love this idea. I'm going to have to canvas the neighborhood for friendly donors 😊 I also have heavy clay and I've used leaves in the past but never such a heavy layer. I am on-board for this big time. Thank you!!!

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you - I'm glad you enjoyed it. Good luck scoring free leaves!

[@peacefulgarden]

@@growitbuildit Thank you my friend 😁

[@myjunkmail007]

Enjoyed watching this video! I use leaves, too, and have similar results. Great for the soil.

[@growitbuildit]

100% agree & I'm happy to hear you have the same results! And thank you for the kind words!

[@Max-se3ii]

I have had amazing results shredding the leaves

[@growitbuildit]

Leaves are the best, easiest, and cheapest way to build soil.

[@flowinproductions6416]

i'm new to gardening, but you're the first person other than myself i've seen do the sod layer flip for starting a new garden space. glad i wasn't completely crazy! 👍

[@growitbuildit]

It's an effective method!

[@wolk2]

Bru love your energy and passion for the garden, I didn't even have a garden

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you! It just gets exciting to be able to take my horrible crappy soil and change it to 7-9" of awesome fertile soil without spending any money.

[@Herculesbiggercousin]

I think this year I’m going to do this. I just planted a cherry tree out back last night and since I have an over-abundance of leaves as it is, I might as well mulch the heck out of it with leaf litter. All the best to you and yours, Hercules from Dayton

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Hercules! Use those leaves - it is amazing what they can do!

[@ricetanzania4148]

A very positive message, thanks!

[@growitbuildit]

You are welcome

[@Dante-ox4gk]

Awesome video! Thank you for sharing!

[@growitbuildit]

You are very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@ericklee9328]

Great video and thanks for the multiple year comparisons!

[@growitbuildit]

You are very welcome. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@tyronefrielinghaus3467]

Great voice, really easy to listen to . Great video

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you Tyrone - I appreciate that

[@FoodForestBrad]

2" per year is incredible... bravo!

[@growitbuildit]

It is awesome - the single best thing I've done for my soil.

[@charlesbale8376]

Very useful information, thanks for sharing.

[@growitbuildit]

You are quite welcome Charles

[@danielmansour7230]

I did something VERY similar with leaves from my yard last fall to one of my beds. What the soil looked like in the spring was incredible. So this year it was ALL of the beds. And I have a lot more leaves so I am setting them aside for leaf mold and additional mulch during the growing season. Slugs are always a problem. Try beer traps for the slugs throughout the garden. I've had success with this reducing the damage they do.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you for the tip Daniel - and I'm glad to hear you also had a lot of success with leaves.

[@treyb2919]

Thanks for the update! I love this

[@growitbuildit]

You are very welcome Trey.

[@AcornHillHomestead]

We collect all of our leaves in fall and blow them to the base of new shrub plantings and shrub borders. Layering pine needles, leaves, tiny twigs and grass clippings. We do this every single year and our soil is gorgeous. We also collect free wood chips from tree crews. Very little weeding.

[@growitbuildit]

That is awesome - I love hearing about people having the same success that I have.

[@smirking8457]

I look forward to the update every year

[@growitbuildit]

It's crazy how deep my nice soil is now. It's by far the best thing I've ever done for my garden

[@mahlet3570]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you - glad you found it helpful!

[@tatts4life838]

I mentioned in your video from last year that I switched from just placing leaves in the garden to running them through a shredder first. Running them through a shredder first did two things. First I was able to reduce the number of poplar seeds by grabbing handfuls of leaves and leaving the seeds in the grass. Second I was able to double or triple the amount of leaves we placed in the garden and it still was all dirt by august. I think next year we might extend the garden and grab leaves from both our neighbors.

[@growitbuildit]

I remember your comment...from what I'm hearing I may be in for a surprise next Spring from using Norway Maple leaves....I'll find out, but I may need to employ your tactics.

[@BS.-.-]

I had prety poor soil in my garden and decided to drive around and pickup peoples leaf bags. I was laying out a 4in layer and mulching them with my riding lawn mower. I did about 4in of mulched leaves and saw a huge improvement every year. That was 4yrs ago and now my soil is great. I now use a 8' round piece of fence and pile them in there for spring mulch.

[@growitbuildit]

That's awesome - I'm glad to hear you are having the same success as me.

[@bobbysmac1009]

It takes time. but works. This is my 5th year doing it . Patience and moisture gets it done. A cover crop wouldn't hurt.

[@growitbuildit]

100% agree and happy to hear you are having the same results.

[@sowgroweat6987]

Very informative and highly interesting thanks. I did my first bed with leaves last year and had good sucess. I will be doing this again this year.

[@growitbuildit]

Excellent - glad to hear you had good success too

[@DM-mg6qh]

Excellent video, thank you.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@paultaylor7570]

great video. I'am a firm believer in using mulched up leaves around all my plants. We store 4 or 5 55 gallon drums of mulch leaves for our spring planting, They do a great job of keeping the weeds at bay, keep the veggie roots cool and moist throughout the summer

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you - Glad to hear you are having similar success as me with leaves

[@budlesage3358]

We've been using leaves/grass clippings for as far back as I can remember. Once all the leaves have fallen and have been gathered into our gerden area, I'll run my push lawn mower with the bagger attachment into the leaves to shred them, then cover the garden with the shredded leaves. Seems to speed up the decomposition process and they're less likely to blow away. Come Spring I run the tiller over it all 2-3 times.

[@growitbuildit]

Sounds like you've got a great system in place!

[@tatianamaria1]

Great experiment...thanks for sharing. Love the content, always informative.

[@wildscotland9506]

Really interesting! I'm in a very wet windy sluggy but beautiful bit of west Scotland. I'll certainly try a test patch using this method though. Thanks for all your efforts recording and sharing this journey.

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you - I bet you will get great results with leaves. Good luck!

[@Jacob.self53]

Great video, I appreciate you sharing all of the mini experiments you do as well. Maybe some straw around the cabbages can help deter slugs, it works with strawberries. Thanks again for sharing.

[@growitbuildit]

Hi Jacob - thank you! And I may try straw around cabbages next year.

[@geoffb108]

If you remove the bottom leaves of cabbage that touch the ground it prevent the slugs. They don't like crawling up the dry stems

[@starseedenergy996]

Great idea. I think I will try. Thank you

[@growitbuildit]

Thank you - I bet you'll have great results too.