Page 58 - Phonebox Magazine October 2009

Leaves, leaves and more leaves...
Toddington Manor is home to hundreds of trees that shed enough foliage each year to fill at least a dozen full-size skips. From now until December we will spend most mornings collecting leaves. They make a mess of the lawns and you can't leave them in the borders because they suffocate smaller plants. You may not be faced with so many leaves but it is still worth making leafmould for your garden. Collect them into piles using a
plastic leaf rake which can then be easily picked up by hand.
So how do you make leafmould? First, you need a leaf bin. A simple task of collecting together four 4ft tree stakes, a roll of galvanised chicken wire and galvanised U-staples. Hammer the stakes into the ground - ideally in a shady position out of the way, 24in apart, to make a square - ensure about 3ft of each stake remains above ground. Next, secure the end of the wire to the first post with U- staples. Unroll to the next post, secure with staples and repeat until you have an enclosure and snip off any excess. Remember to bend in any dangerous ends.
Any deciduous tree leaves can be thrown in, but those shed by evergreen trees are best fed through a shredder first as they can take up to three years to rot down.
If you don't have the space for a leaf bin or only have a small garden that doesn't generate many leaves, collect them in black plastic bags with a few holes at the bottom to let out any moisture.
For more garden maintenance, advice, design, and planting ideas, visit www.applegategardens.co.uk
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