How to Clear and Compost Leaves

Learn how to clear unwanted leaves from your lawn and turn them into a rich compost for future use in your outdoor spaces.

Filed under: Composting, Lawn Care

4. Puncture the bags with a fork or knife.

This will allow air to circulate in the bag. The air assists in the breakdown of the leaves. Leave the bags out of sight, giving them an occasional shake and adding more water.

5. Wait for the leaf mold to compost.

After one or two years it will be ready to use in the garden. It should make an excellent soil conditioner for borders, particularly around shade-loving plants, and is also a useful potting compost ingredient.

Leaf Mold Excellent Soil Conditioner for Garden

6. Prevent leaves from killing grass.

Create a circular bed around any trees, extending it to the edge of the leaf canopy. Fill it with shade-loving groundcover plants or spring-flowering bulbs that are capable of growing in shade and have adapted to growing under layers of leaf mold. If you decide that you want grass growing up to the trunk of the tree, then remove the existing turf, prepare the ground well, removing any pernicious weeds, and resow the area with a shade-tolerant seed mix. Protect the grass seed with netting while it is germinating.