Leaves, Nature's Wonderfu Gift to the Gardener

Leaves, Nature's Gold for our Soil

Yesterday I began raking my yard and moving the leaves to the garden.  I will let the leaves absorb moisture and begin to decompose for a few weeks or days depending on the weather.  If it looks like we will be getting an extended time of very cold weather I will use a shovel to turn a large portion of the leaves into the soil.  I have two large pin oak trees, a yellow poplar, a locust and various shrubs that will drop their treasures. This will be enough leaves to cover my 1000 square foot garden with at least 18 inches of leaves after they have settled.

Leaves are natures gift to the gardener.  Last year the only thing  I did to prepare my soil was put lime on my garden and work the leaves into the soil.  My soil is very heavy with clay.  I was amazed at how well my first year garden produced.  I used all organic fertilizers at the time I planted and kept the garden weeded.  So lime, leaves, blood meal, kelp and bone meal were the only additions I made to my soil.   We still are harvesting peppers.  All of my tomatoes were killed from the early frost but many of my peppers miraculously survived.

Leaves provide an opportunity also to introduce children to the wonder of nature.  Initially my grandson was hesitant to join me in the leaf frolicking. 

 However he found it very funny when I  I threw a rake full of leaves into the air and stated it is "raining leaves."  Many joyful moments were shared in the "leaf thunder showers" and soon Sam was creating his own leaf play.