Is it worth laying leaves over an alotment ?

I got my allotment about 2 years ago, just in time for me to collect enough leaves to fill 4 builders dumpy bags.

Early this summer, about 20 months after collecting, I dumped the whole lot over a few of my beds to suppress the weeds. It seemed to work well and made the beds look quite nice. The sweetcorn and leeks looked well.

Last year I didn't collect any new leaves.

Now, autumn is here and the leaves are falling, I am wondering whether it is worth just placing the leaves on top of some of my other beds, so the worms can (hopefully) pull them underground during the next 6 months or so. Is this a good idea ?

Or would i just be better refilling my dumpy bags and make leaf mould in the traditional way.

thank you

Won't they blow away? I'd turn them into leaf mold, it worked for you before☺️

Won't they blow away? I'd turn them into leaf mold, it worked for you before☺️

I copied some of the other plot holders when I started and put a thick layer of leaves over some of the beds -- blowing away was one problem alright!

Second issue was that that leaves were really difficult to dig into the soil in the Spring as they hadn't rotted down at all, so now I stack leaves in  a huge pile in the Autumn and cover it with plastic. I have just dug into last year's pile and it is beautiful leaf mould.

I cover empty beds with black plastic to protect the soil surface and help warm things up earlier in the Spring. This works quite well for me.

I collected leaves the other day, all clean and dry and gorgeous    Mine were bagged up, holed, and stashed under the shrubs.  Loads more to go at yet so some will end up in my wire leaf bin where they rot down beautifully and will probably line my carrot rows two years hence, or even less if I'm lucky

My allotment hedgerow will shed leaves conveniently onto adjacent beds 

I just add them to my compost bins and manure heaps.