[SPUDMIESTER]

I have a couple of bags of leafmould ready and wondered what's the best purpose for it as it's limited -  Your thoughts?

I was thinking greenhouse border as the cow manure i got at the end of last year needs another year to rot down further.

[JaK]

I only use leaf mould as a mulch. 

[compostqueen]

I use it for specific plantings or sowings as it's a scarce commodity and takes ages to make so it needs using wisely

I use it for marking my carrot sowing rows.  I made a drill to sow the seeds and lined it with sieved leafmould. It makes the carrot seeds show up as I am a short sighted old bat  but I'm told it does the carrots good. I think it works and I grew some lovely ones last year 

I did add some to my spud planting bed last year though as the soil seemed a bit claggy. I noticed at harvest time the soil was so much more friable than at planting time

[Christine]

I'm with compostqueen on the advice.

I went on a leaf collecting session last autumn and have rather more than a couple of bags rotting down so in 18 months I hope to be afloat in leafmould. If you have space to spare then it's an investment to gather leaves.

[solway cropper]

I have two four-foot square wire frames filled with leaves. One has last autumn's leaves and the other has them from the previous year so that I now have a constant supply of good crumbly leafmould. The fine stuff I use in a potting mix and the coarser material goes as a mulch.

If you have the space to put them I'd always say it's a brilliant investment in time and effort to gather as many leaves as you can.

[shokkyy]

I've got a big wire frame that's been housing all the dead leaves from my garden for quite a few years now. I have to say it never really seems to rot down very well at all. Maybe it's too big, too dry, too wet, too open, who knows? But for whatever reason, it's never really worked very well. This past autumn I've started collecting up the leaves in old horse feed bags, so fingers crossed I have more luck this way.

[viettaclark]

I stuff mine into large black dustbin bags, stab holes round the edge and, if the leaves are dry, I add water and sort of scrunch them before tying up. Then the bags get plonked in a pile down the bottom of the garden and forgotten about for a year or two until they rot down to lovely crumbly FREE stuff which I use to make up my pot mix, mulch etc.

[bayleaf]

Where abouts do you put the holes - top, middle or bottom? sounds like a great idea.

[viettaclark]

Round the lower middle!!!

[bayleaf]

Sounds like the best place to have holes.   Thanks for the tip will try this.

[Spana]

I use the big bags that builders merchants deliver sand in.  I try and fill two every autumn then after a year tip one into the other.  After another year its wonderful stuff.

[Springlands]

Are there any leaves that should not be used for leafmould? I have lots of hydrangeas and have wondered about using them.

[Ma and Pa Snip]

Are there any leaves that should not be used for leafmould? I have lots of hydrangeas and have wondered about using them.

I don't compost Digitalis (Foxglove) as the leaves contain toxins harmful to animals and humans. I remove decaying leaves and send them away with non compostable waste.