What to do with leaves. What to do with autumn fallen leaves? Foliage is a source of soil fertility
Astrakhan tomatoes ripen remarkably well lying on the ground, but this experience should not be repeated in the Moscow region. Our tomatoes need support, support, garter. My neighbors use all sorts of stakes, tie-downs, loops, ready-made plant supports and mesh fencing. Each method of fixing a plant in vertical position has its merits and " side effects" I'll tell you how I place tomato bushes on trellises and what comes out of it.
Flies are a sign of unsanitary conditions and vectors infectious diseases, dangerous for both people and animals. People are constantly looking for ways to get rid of unpleasant insects. In this article we will talk about the Zlobny TED brand, which specializes in fly repellents and knows a lot about them. The manufacturer has developed a specialized line of products to get rid of flying insects anywhere quickly, safely and at no extra cost.
The summer months are the time for hydrangeas to bloom. This beautiful deciduous shrub produces luxuriously fragrant flowers from June to September. Florists readily use large inflorescences for wedding decorations and bouquets. To admire the beauty flowering bush hydrangeas in your garden, you should take care of the proper conditions for it. Unfortunately, some hydrangeas do not bloom year after year, despite the care and efforts of gardeners. We will explain why this happens in the article.
Every summer resident knows that plants need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for full development. These are the three main macronutrients, the deficiency of which significantly affects appearance and plant yield, and in advanced cases can lead to their death. But not everyone understands the importance of other macro- and microelements for plant health. And they are important not only in themselves, but also for the effective absorption of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
Garden strawberries, or strawberry, as we used to call it - one of the earliest fragrant berries, which summer generously bestows upon us. How happy we are about this harvest! In order for the “berry boom” to repeat every year, we need to take care of caring for the fruit in the summer (after the end of fruiting). berry bushes. The laying of flower buds, from which ovaries will form in the spring and berries in the summer, begins approximately 30 days after the end of fruiting.
Spicy pickled watermelon - savory snack to fatty meat. Watermelons and watermelon rinds They have been pickling since time immemorial, but this process is labor-intensive and time-consuming. According to my recipe, you can simply prepare pickled watermelon in 10 minutes, and by the evening the spicy appetizer will be ready. Watermelon marinated with spices and chili can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Be sure to keep the jar in the refrigerator, not only for the sake of safety - when chilled, this snack is simply licking your fingers!
Among the variety of species and hybrids of philodendrons, there are many plants, both gigantic and compact. But not a single species competes in unpretentiousness with the main modest one - the blushing philodendron. True, his modesty does not concern the appearance of the plant. Blushing stems and cuttings, huge leaves, long shoots, forming, although very large, but also a strikingly elegant silhouette, look very elegant. Philodendron blushing requires only one thing - at least minimal care.
Thick chickpea soup with vegetables and egg is a simple recipe for a hearty first course, inspired by oriental cuisine. Similar thick soups are prepared in India, Morocco, and other countries South-East Asia. The tone is set by spices and seasonings - garlic, chili, ginger and a bouquet of spicy spices, which can be assembled to your taste. It is better to fry vegetables and spices in clarified butter (ghee) or mix olive and butter in a pan; this, of course, is not the same, but it tastes similar.
Plum - well, who isn’t familiar with it?! She is loved by many gardeners. And all because it has an impressive list of varieties, it’s surprising excellent harvests, pleases with its diversity in terms of ripening and huge selection color, shape and taste of the fruit. Yes, in some places it feels better, in others it feels worse, but almost no summer resident gives up the pleasure of growing it on his plot. Today it can be found not only in the south, in middle lane, but also in the Urals and Siberia.
Many decorative and fruit crops, except for drought-resistant ones, they suffer from the scorching sun, and conifers in the winter-spring period suffer from sunlight, enhanced by reflection from the snow. In this article we will talk about unique drug to protect plants from sunburn and drought - Sunshet Agrosuccess. The problem is relevant for most regions of Russia. In February and early March Sun rays become more active, and the plants are not yet ready for new conditions.
“Every vegetable has its own time,” and every plant has its own optimal time for planting. Anyone who has dealt with planting is well aware that the hot season for planting is spring and autumn. This is due to several factors: in the spring the plants have not yet begun to grow rapidly, there is no sweltering heat and precipitation often falls. However, no matter how hard we try, circumstances often develop such that planting has to be carried out in the midst of summer.
Chili con carne translated from Spanish- chili with meat. This is a Texas and Mexican dish whose main ingredients are chili peppers and shredded beef. In addition to the main products there are onions, carrots, tomatoes, and beans. This red lentil chili recipe is delicious! The dish is fiery, scalding, very filling and amazingly tasty! You can make a big pot, put it in containers and freeze - you'll have a delicious dinner for a whole week.
Cucumber is one of my favorites garden crops our summer residents. However, not all and not always gardeners manage to get a really good harvest. And although growing cucumbers requires regular attention and care, there is little secret, which will significantly increase their productivity. It's about about pinching cucumbers. Why, how and when to pinch cucumbers, we will tell you in the article. An important point agricultural technology of cucumbers is their formation, or type of growth.
Now every gardener has the opportunity to grow absolutely environmentally friendly, healthy fruits and vegetables in their own garden. Atlant microbiological fertilizer will help with this. It contains helper bacteria that settle in the root system area and begin to work for the benefit of the plant, allowing it to actively grow, remain healthy and produce high yields. Typically, many microorganisms coexist around the root system of plants.
Summer is associated with beautiful flowers. Both in the garden and in the rooms you want to admire the luxurious inflorescences and touching flowers. And for this it is not at all necessary to use cut bouquets. In the assortment of the best indoor plants There are many beautiful flowering species. They are in the summer when they get the most bright lighting and optimal daylight hours, they can outshine any bouquet. Short-lived or just annual crops also look like living bouquets.
In autumn, during leaf fall, there is always plenty of foliage. Should I collect it or leave it in place? And what to do with the collected leaves?
Leave or remove
If everything is fine in the garden, then you can leave the foliage. And then dig up in the spring, improving soil fertility. Until some time, this was the preferred method even in city parks. But then this practice was abandoned, as all kinds of pests and diseases multiplied in large numbers.
So you can leave foliage under those trees in whose immunity you are completely confident, and if you can exterminate overwintered pests in the spring with the help of spraying.
And under no circumstances should you leave leaves on your lawns over the winter. It’s worth leaving it there - and in the spring the lawn will “show off” with bald spots and bald spots.
From here to there
More cunning gardeners do not leave foliage in place. They insulate the roots of the vineyard with garden foliage, and the garden with grape foliage. Such castling is good for fertility and will not allow pests and diseases to cling to your favorite plants in the spring.
It’s even better if, after transferring, the foliage is sprayed with a urea solution: 500 g per 10 liters of water. Such a concentrated solution will cauterize fungi, kill pests and the most persistent diseases, accelerating the decomposition of foliage, which will rot long before spring.
Everything goes to the fire
This is the fastest and easiest way. It is good because it immediately calms the hiding pests and gives us valuable fertilizer - ash, which can be immediately applied under autumn digging.
However, little ash is produced and the soil structure does not improve. So foliage that is severely affected by diseases or is colonized is given over to “cremation.” dangerous pests. In other cases, it is better to compost it.
Leaf compost
Leaf compost is the earliest ripening. It doesn't need a year or two to mature. The foliage will rot in a couple of months and will be ripe for the summer heat of next year. There is no better moisture-retaining agent for strawberries and raspberries.
To prepare, you need to prepare a composting bed: drive four reinforcement bars into the corners and stretch a fine mesh over them. Leaves are poured into such a compost bin in layers (2025 cm), interspersed with manure or soil (10 cm).
In spring and summer, such a “sandwich” needs to be watered occasionally, and in a couple of months the valuable fertilizer will be ready.
We insulate flowers
Or you can postpone the execution of foliage until spring, but in the meantime use it for winter insulation roses, heat-loving shrubs and other garden sissies.
Any foliage will do for these purposes, although landscape designers value oak foliage more than others - it does not rot longer and holds well in a pile, resisting the winds.
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TO YOUR EXPERIENCE
What to do with fallen leaves?
Trees are shedding their leaves more and more every day. And summer residents are faced with a traditional question: what to do with fallen leaves? Some people simply burn it, others compost it, and others use it as mulch. And each of them is right in their own way. But, like any rule, there are significant exceptions here.
Trees and shrubs begin to prepare for leaf fall in August. During this period, a septum (cork layer) appears at the base of the leaves, the cells of which disrupt the connection between the leaf plate and the stem, gradually separating them from each other. Under influence low temperatures The production of chlorophyll stops, and the leaves, having ceased to perform their function, become unnecessary. They do not come off immediately: they are held in place by water-bearing vessels for some time. But as soon as a slight breeze blows, they immediately begin to circle around the garden.
Due to their large area during the growing season, the leaves actively evaporate moisture. During the cold season, the soil freezes, making it difficult for the roots to provide water to the plants. If the leaves continued to evaporate moisture, the trees and shrubs would simply die. And by shedding their leaves, plants protect themselves from drying out. Only evergreen conifers thanks special structure tissue, recessed few stomata and waxy coating can reduce evaporation. Pine, for example, with its needles evaporates 9 times less water than birch.
Having gotten rid of the leaves, the plants plunge into a state of suspended animation, which can be compared to very deep sleep. Trees and shrubs stop growing and, waiting for the arrival of spring, simply rest, sparingly using up the nutrients accumulated in the summer. If the leaves remained on the tree, then during snowfalls the snow would linger on them, under the weight of which the branches could break. So it turns out that by falling leaves, trees insure themselves against death.
What to do with fallen leaves?
First of all, you need to determine whether she is healthy or not. If there was scab, garden rot, powdery mildew, coccomycosis or all kinds of spots in the garden, then under no circumstances should fallen diseased leaves be left on the site. And they cannot be composted either: pathogens are very tenacious. They will safely overwinter in the compost, and then infect the plantings to which you decide to add organic matter in the spring.
Perhaps the best solution is to burn the foliage. Ash is an excellent fertilizer. But if the trees grew near roads with busy traffic, then the foliage is saturated with combustion products of petroleum products and heavy metals. And as they decompose, all these pollutants will enter the soil, poisoning and weakening other plants. When such foliage is burned, all the heavy metals and toxic substances contained in it are returned to the atmosphere: carbon monoxide, soot, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen, hydrocarbon. Also released are dioxins, toxic substances that negatively affect the immune, endocrine and cardiovascular system, contributing to the development of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, asthma, mental disorders... The smoke from such burnt leaves is very harmful to children, allergy sufferers, asthmatics, and the elderly.
But if the foliage is healthy, then it’s a different matter. The yellow and red leaves that the trees have shed are full of minerals. And such fallen leaves are great organic fertilizer. As it breaks down, it returns to the soil the nutrients it received during the growing season. Parts of the leaf that do not decompose so quickly (cuttings, for example) will structure the soil, improving its quality and making it more loose and airy. In addition, fallen leaves, gradually decomposing, will provide food for bacteria and insects, our invisible helpers. They remove pathogenic organisms from the soil - all kinds of fungi and bacteria. Plus, the foliage is an excellent treat for earthworms, which turn the soil into humus.
Healthy fallen leaves can be buried. The digging depth depends on the type of garden and the root system of the crops near which you are going to dig a hole. If this berry bushes, then a depth of 15–20 centimeters is enough. If large pome trees are 60–70 cm. Garden on a dwarf rootstock? It is enough to go deeper by 30–40 cm.
If the fallen leaves do not contain, as experts say, a wintering supply of pathogens, then dry leaves can be used to cover roses, non-frost-resistant perennials, ornamental shrubs. Just add a 6-inch layer of leaves onto the soil around the plants and that's it! Such mulching will not only protect the soil, but also improve its quality. Soil covered with leaves loses less moisture in winter. A crust does not form on its surface, and the earth itself remains quite loose. The covered soil does not dry out, is not eroded or washed away by rain, exposing the roots of plants. Leaf mulch also blocks weed growth.
Attention: The layers of litter should not be very thick. Otherwise, the leaves will cake and interfere with air circulation. But there is a way out: chop the leaves. If you do not have a special unit at your disposal, use a lawn mower. Make sure that each leaf is cut into at least several pieces. The bigger, the better. Firstly, it increases the area for beneficial microorganisms to access and work. Secondly, the crushed leaves do not stick together into a continuous layer that is not penetrated by rain, which allows air to penetrate through them. Thirdly, the volume of fallen leaves will be significantly reduced. By the way, such mulch looks great in spring, bringing unique colors to the garden. And it is very useful for the soil.
Autumn foliage is an excellent basis for “ warm bed» for cucumbers, the arrangement of which should be done in the fall. Even if you just scatter the leaves around the garden and dig it up, it will be good.
Where else can you put healthy fallen leaves? Well, of course, into the compost. You just need to alternately add “green” and “brown” organic matter. "Greens" (manure, bird droppings, food waste, fruit and fruit squeezes, mown grass, tops, leaves and all other green vegetation) are saturated with nitrogen. It decomposes quickly and with heating, becoming a kind of oven for the compost heap, and a source of nitrogen for the soil. “Brown” organic matter burns slowly, without generating heat. It is low in nitrogen, but high in fiber. That’s why it loosens the soil perfectly. “Brown” organic matter includes dry leaves, as well as straw, paper, sawdust, and bark.
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Place all plant and other organic matter in layers (15–20 cm thick) in compost heap. The more components, the better the compost. And it ripens faster. True, it will still take an average of 2–2.5 years. But it turns out that with just a little effort, you can compost the leaves in a couple of weeks. And without extra effort and equipment of a special site. All you need is plastic or iron barrel on a wooden frame.
What is the hardest job when making compost? That's right, tedding! Shoveling compost is the hardest part, but throwing grass and leaves into a box or hole is easy. That’s why gardeners usually store the grass, but forget to move it from place to place. Here everything - turning over, shoveling, tedding - is done at once and without unnecessary effort: just rotate the handle! And the compost barrel itself is not difficult to build. Or you can install two at once on one bed. And think about the motor.
By the way, crushed fallen autumn leaves are processed faster and are easier to mix into the compost heap. The compost is ready when it becomes a homogeneous dark brown mass that smells like earth.
When tidying up your area, don’t forget to remove the leaves on the lawn. Under the snow they will turn into a compress, which will greatly damage the grass. Either rake the leaves or, in dry weather, run the lawn mower with the basket removed. The crushed leaves will remain on the grass and will soon simply disappear into the soil, while improving its quality.
if you have wood burning fireplace, then stock up on dry fallen leaves from the garden. Place them in bags and store them in a dry place. Autumn leaves burning in the fireplace will add a delightful aroma to your home.
Stuff old clothes with fallen leaves and make a scarecrow for the yard.
Collect fallen leaves in mesh bags, add a cinnamon stick and enjoy the smell of autumn.
Reference
The leaves of some crops have a negative effect on ornamental plants, as well as trees and shrubs. It is not recommended to use oak leaves as mulch, walnut, hazel, chestnut, willow. This litter contains a lot of tannins. And walnut leaves contain a special substance, juglone, which is toxic to other plants. The leaves of the above-mentioned crops rot more difficult and slower. There should be no more than a quarter of them in the compost. You should not put pine litter in the compost heap - it increases the acidity of the soil. But not all plants like acidic soil.
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In the fall, I spend a lot of time collecting fallen leaves. I rake them into piles and then transfer them to containers where the leaves turn into compost. Supporters of “organic” farming call for copying nature and leaving leaves on the soil: in the forest, no one removes them, which does not interfere with the growth of herbs, flowers and trees. Some people burn dry leaves, creating smoke in the entire area. Let's try to figure out what the pros and cons of each of these points of view are.
Autumn leaves collected in a heap
Putting fall leaves in a compost bin
I believe that fallen leaves in autumn are a must should be sent to the humus heap, to purchased garden containers (different types), boxes knocked together from boards, all kinds of suitable containers, bags, mesh forms, pits, etc.
Bags come in handy when all the humus containers are full. In spring, leaves can be used to create warm beds
The leaves placed in them gradually settle, become denser and after some time turn into wonderful nutritious compost. I like to hold crumbly leaf humus in my hands. Mature leaf humus improves soil structure and is suitable for mulching. I'm preparing new ones in the fall planting pits, pouring the collected foliage into them. I compact it, and then add some of the dug up soil mixed with sand and peat.
In the fall, this container was filled to the very top with fallen leaves. Over the winter the leaves have fallen
Leave fallen leaves on the ground
I have had to leave leaves on the ground several times in the fall. Fallen leaves turned nasty in spring mass sliding underfoot. Collecting such foliage is difficult and unpleasant. Under this cover, ugly bald spots appear on the lawn and the soft carpet from, tender shoots wither away, shoots of perennials rot, and soil warming is inhibited. Changes and general form plot. Unfortunately, far from better side. It is difficult to walk on it, as a layer of rotten leaves spreads underfoot. It will take time before the grass turns green again in the area with the leaves left in the fall.
It's hardly worth leaving these fallen leaves on the ground
In the fallen leaves Different pests feel comfortable. They feel warm and comfortable there. It is difficult to notice carrion under the leaves. Half-rotted foliage causes fungal and bacterial diseases coniferous crops. I was convinced of this from my own experience.
Pre-winter - a dark time, when we so miss the bright colors of summer and golden autumn. Many people experience a condition during this period. The sight of green grass on the lawn and a well-groomed area prepared for winter helps to lift your spirits.
And how the uncollected leaves are carried by the wind! They clog grates and gutters and end up in gazebos and under garden furniture.
If you do not cover the container from above, you will again have to collect leaves scattered by the wind.
Leaves various plants differ not only in shape. The leaves of oak, clematis and some other crops do not decompose for a long time due to the high content of tannins. Therefore, it is recommended to use them as shelter for the winter. A coating appears on the leaves of maple and some types of barberry powdery mildew. This summer, bird cherry, aspen, pear, apple and other plants experienced an outbreak of fungal diseases. All this “wealth” is perfectly preserved in half-rotted foliage.
Fallen leaves harm the lungwort because... she's panting under them
The main argument of people leaving foliage on the site is recreating the same conditions as in the forest. There, decomposed plant debris actually shelters and feeds the plants. They are the same source of plant diseases and shelter for pests. I believe that such an approach to the use of fallen leaves is only permissible for areas with a forest zone.
One more thing important note. Fallen leaves look really nice on garden paths. Romance ends in late autumn or spring, when the foliage turns into a sticky darkened mass. The paths become so slippery that walking on them is dangerous.
Burning the leaves
Autumn is the time when bonfires smoke in many areas. Not only cut branches and various garden debris are burned, but also foliage. Dry and damp. Many people like this method because they quickly “dispose of waste” and accumulate ash. It is poorer, but it also contains potassium.
The main disadvantage of burning leaves is the smoke that covers everything around. Don't forget about the fire hazard, especially in strong winds.
It is better to put fallen leaves in the fall in a humus pile rather than burn them in a fire.
Tools
The most convenient way to collect fallen leaves is fan rake . Plus, they don't tear out ground cover plants. I use not only fan rakes, but also others (plastic and metal) designed for collecting grass and leaves.
I recommend and garden vacuum cleaner, which collects and shreds foliage. He can blow leaves from under bushes and collect them into piles. There are many models of garden vacuum cleaners. There are also inexpensive ones that have good power. When purchasing, you need to pay attention to a combination of several factors: power, weight, convenience, the ability not only to collect crushed leaves, but also to blow leaves out of all nooks and crannies. I have been using a garden vacuum cleaner for two years. It perfectly cleans paths, paved areas, ditches, etc. A strong stream of air blows out dry leaves and thin twigs even from the most hard to reach places, after which it draws them in and crushes them. I find it easier to clean the lawn with a fan rake.
The first snow doesn't last long
If you don't have a garden vacuum cleaner, then you can start the lawnmower y, definitely with a grass catcher. Then most of the leaves will soon be in it.
I will share one “trick”. Dry leaves collected in heaps can be easily and quickly transferred to a wheelbarrow or another place if you take a plank in each hand to make it more convenient to grab armfuls of leaves with them. In this case, the foliage will be firmly clamped between the planks and will not fall to the ground.
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In autumn it’s time for leaf fall and, in connection with this, every autumn you and I, dear gardeners, are tormented by the same question: How better use fallen leaves?
Should I collect it or not? Take it outside the site or store it in a compost heap, embed it in beds, bury it away from the garden or burn it?
Collection fallen leaves It takes summer residents not only a lot of effort, but also time. Among us there are many supporters of both leaf removal and its opponents.
Cleanup advocates fallen leaves they say that it is an excellent wintering place for pathogens of many plant diseases, as well as insect pests. In a compost heap, leaf litter cakes and rots very slowly and it will take several years to wait for the “death” of possible pests.
Opponents of harvesting very convincingly argue that leaves protect the roots of trees from frost and, when decomposed, improve the composition of the soil and its structure, and also that fallen leaves are not only an excellent fertilizer, but also food for earthworms, which are also in the process of their vital activity improves the structure of the soil.
Although, according to by and large, the question of what to do with fallen leaves in your own garden is up to everyone to decide at their own discretion, but I would like to offer you several options quite rational use collected leaves.
Leaf humus
From fallen leaves you can prepare leaf humus, which will serve as an effective remedy that can improve the soil structure in the area.
IN leaf humus there is almost as much nitrogen and phosphorus as in cow manure. In addition, this product is an excellent mulch, as well as an ideal acidifier, which is so necessary for acidophilic plants.
To prepare it, it is best to take the litter of deciduous trees available on your site. You can, of course, use conifers, however, in this case the process of waste decay will be slowed down.
You can get good leaf humus for quite a bit a short time. To do this, in the fall, collect fallen leaves, compact them well into tight bags, then pour plenty of water into the contents and tie the bags, puncturing them in several places for better ventilation.
Leaf humus collected in the fall can be used already next spring when planting fruit and vegetable crops, and can also be added to compost.
If you have a forest nearby, you can successfully use fallen leaves of trees such as alder, birch, maple.
Alder litter is considered the most valuable. Birch and maple have slightly less nutrients.
But fallen aspen leaves (despite the fact that they contain a lot of nutrients) decompose very poorly, as they lie quite tightly and stick together. They often have to be loosened and, moreover, additionally sprinkled with lime or chalk, due to their acidic reaction.
Oak litter is also very dense and hard, containing a lot of tannins, which prevent it from overheating quickly and well.
Therefore, it is best to use aspen and oak litter in small quantities and only in a mixture with foliage of other tree species.
Mulching
Fallen leaves can be used as natural mulch.
To do this, in the fall you just need to spread the wet leaves over empty areas of the soil, and with the arrival of spring, either rake them, or simply dig them up along with the soil.
IN in this case leaf litter will protect the soil from weathering and being washed out of it useful substances, and will also suppress the growth of weeds.
We insulate perennials
Dry fallen leaves will serve you as a good insulator and heat-insulating material, with which you can cover hydrangeas, chrysanthemums, roses and other heat-loving shrubs for the winter.
Attracting hedgehogs
With the help of fallen leaves, you can attract hedgehogs to your site, who happily eat pest larvae.
To do this, simply do not remove leaves along fences and around trees located in remote areas of your garden, so that this animal would want to settle in them.
Add to compost
Shredded fallen leaves can be added to your compost pile, especially if you are filling it in the fall. big amount green waste and plant residues.
In this case, they will play the role of rough “brown” material and balance the share of the latter.
For raised beds
In case you have in your garden raised beds, containers or boxes for growing vegetables and berries, then fallen leaves can be used as bulk material, which can improve the quality and structure of the soil.
For these purposes, immediately after emptying the beds, either simply pour a certain amount of pre-shredded fallen leaves into the boxes, or mix the collected litter with green debris, compost and other materials used to fill high beds.
Fill them with shredded fallen leaves.
We make decorative compositions
Agree, fallen leaves look great against the backdrop of dirt paths.
Therefore, if you want to make your garden beautiful and unpretentious, just do not remove the litter.
Well, what if you are also creative person, then you can make an excellent decorative composition from the collected leaves.
In general, dear gardeners, when deciding what to do with fallen leaves, I advise you to proceed from considerations of your own convenience.
See you soon, dear friends!
