Don't Waste those Leaves; Recycle Them

Mow leaves with a mulching mower as they fall on the lawn so they can return their minerals to the soil. In areas where leaves are thick enough after shredding to smother the turf, consider composting. Mix two volumes of shredded leaves with one volume of grass clippings or, if grass clippings are not available, add a handful of fertilizer and a shovelful of soil to every 8 cubic feet (2 feet X 2 feet X 2 feet) of leaves. Wet the mixture so it feels like a well-wrung sponge. Get a compost thermometer and turn the pile with a pitchfork whenever the center of the pile is lower than 120 degrees F. Rewet the pile during turning if it seems too dry.

Chris Starbuck, Woody Ornamental Horticulture, UMC (573) 882-9630