[wbmkk]

I collected several bags of leaves today and have filled a builders' dumpy bag to the top.

Some of the leaves were quite dry, which made the job of collecting them much easier.

The top of the dumpy bag on my new allotment is currently open, as rain is due tonight. However, once the leaves get a good soaking, should I leave the bag uncovered, or cover it with something.

thank you

[Yorkie]

I would - it keeps them moister.

[jezza]

hi yes cover when wet the leaves might go slimy in a dumpy bag large poly bags are better ,if you can chop the leaves they compost quicker a rotary mower is ideal ive filled 15 bags today it will be checked in february then put through a blower vac to pulverise any leaves thats not rotted i expect to get 5 to 7 barrow loads in march   jezza

[cadalot]

If only it would stop raining it would be nice to go out somewhere and collect dry leafs Jezza where did you go to get 15 bags worth?

[Trillium]

Don't know if the UK does what we do here but people who don't garden will use special big clear leaf bags, fill them, then leave them on the curbs for special pickup days to be taken to tips.

At that time, we hard core gardeners  drive around with trucks, vans, trailers, whatever and pickup the bags. Most homeowners are happy the leaves are being used and don't mind them going with us. But what I hate are the people who sneak in garbage like soda cans, broken toys, etc. They know they're supposed to pack only leaves.

If this commonly isn't done in the UK then you might want to ask first before taking the leaf bags.

[wbmkk]

Don't know if the UK does what we do here but people who don't garden will use special big clear leaf bags, fill them, then leave them on the curbs for special pickup days to be taken to tips.

Sadly, we are not as organised over here ... or as tidy.

As a child, I remember the local Council cutting all the communal grass, then collecting the grass cuttings and taking them away ... leaving the lawns short and tidy. They used cylindrical mowers, which also left nice stripes.

Now all they do, is go over the grass with large rotary mowers and that's it. No grass is collected.

I was in Toronto and Ottawa in the early 1980's and was amazed at how clean everything was. A holiday at 'Clevelands House' made the holiday even better.

[easyonthebrain]

I stay at the back of a wooded area and there are loads of leaves from all types of trees, horse chesnut, oak, beech, the question I have; is there are any type of leaf to avoid in the mulch or are they all pretty much the same or one better than another?  Any help gratefully received

Cheers

[Trillium]

Oak leaves are useless to compost, they take almost forever to break down. Not sure why. Pine needles can be slow as well (waxy coating) and need to be chopped up.

Wet leaves of any type will mostly stick together and not compost (ask me how I know). Better if they're dry, or shredded then allowed to get wet.

Most of the rest are fine but better if you can somehow chop them up, maybe using a rotary mower or shredder of some sort. Smaller leaf bits compost much quicker.

[cadalot]

Trilliam - I visited Ontario Canada about 30+ years ago when I was a young man (and played the silver ball) and stayed for 3 weeks. The CN tower was then the tallest free standing structure in the world and I stayed with my Aunt in Stony Creek, I was blows away with how clean everything was especially around the falls, Seeing things like drive thru subways, and fast food places, shopping malls, Cable TV, and even Argos before they came to the UK   

[jezza]

hi cadalot i work in a large garden with wallnut,poplar,lime and crab apple trees ,plenty of variety ,wall nut the hardest to deal with thats why all leaves go through a rotary mower ,with blades blunt it smashes them up small    jezza

[Trillium]

Things have really changed since then, Cadalot    We're still a fairly neat province but you wouldn't recognize the changes to places like Stoney Creek (which I drove through this past week), and the new casinos at Niagara Falls. And that whole area into Toronto and beyond is end to end shopping malls and plazas 

[cadalot]

I kinda guessed that it would have moved on a lot but I did enjoy my visit and my fiest experience of flying being a long flight in a 747 in those days they would let young interested men in with the pilots to have a look around, and I saw dawn from the cockpit on the flight back home.

Boy was it different in a DC10 going to Spain thru a storm on my next flight

[Yorkie]

I won't be using horse chestnut leaves to rot down, on the advice of a local horticultural lecturer. They have very waxy stalks that will take forever and they are also infected with the leaf mite.

[easyonthebrain]

Thanks for the info about the leaves and I'll shred them as well...

[sunshineband]

Our council delivers huge pies of street sweepings of leaves to our site. Careful removal of litter is needed, but I find stuffing a dalek well with the leaves and making sure it gets watered from time to time during the year gives me usable albeit rough leaf mould for potato trenches after just over a year.