Leaf mould

You will need a suprisigly large amount of leaves to make a reasonable amount of leaf mould as it reduces in volume greatly.

Storing

It will take at least 12 months to turn leaves into a useable end product and sometimes much longer. You may choose to shred the leaves first or cover them with a piece of old carpet to keep them damp and.

Bin Bags

Fill black bin bags with leaves. Create several holes in the bag to allow drainage, you can use a garden fork for this, using a hose pour water into the bag for a few seconds to thoroughly wet the leaves and then tie up the bag(s) and store them out of the way

Chicken Wire Cage

Put four posts into the ground and wrap chicken wire around to make a square box. Fill with leaves, wet through and leave.

Pallets

Put the leaves in a typical allotment compost bin made of pallets, again wet thoroughly and wait.

Use

Once a crumbly dark mix has been produced, your leaf mould is ready to use. Add it to potting compost when planting seeds/seedlings, use as a soil conditioner or a mulch.

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Potatoes grown in normal (slightly alkaline) soil (left) and in leaf mould (right)

Potatoes

Leaf mould may also help with scab resistance in potatoes.Template:Clr