As a rule, the owners of summer cottages are indignant when their property is covered with a layer of fallen leaves. Many people think that this is unnecessary garbage that needs to be urgently disposed of. It is customary to burn foliage or take it to a landfill.
Unfortunately, many do not even think that fallen leaves can be used to their advantage. Foliage is a valuable material. I will tell you what you can do with foliage so that it goes for the benefit of your garden.
First, I note that the leaves of not all plants are suitable as fertilizers.
If the trees and shrubs growing on the site have recently been exposed to any diseases, it is better to immediately get rid of their fallen leaves. Otherwise, the infection can spread to other plants.
If the foliage remains from healthy trees, then you can use it wisely!
We make "insulation" from foliage
Fallen leaves have the ability to keep warm. That is, they will make an excellent material that can be used to cover perennial plants or winter crops. The foliage will help protect the roots from severe frost.
Fallen leaves as mulch
Leaves fallen from trees are quite suitable for mulching the soil. You need to evenly spread them out in the beds. Thanks to this, valuable substances will not be washed out of the soil. In addition, the surface of the ground will not be crusted.
In springtime, if you dig up the beds along with the foliage, the looseness of the soil will increase.
Humus from fallen leaves
From personal experience I know that foliage is a wonderful humus. I use it in the spring when I need to grow seedlings. To prepare such humus, I put the fallen leaves together with the green mass in tight plastic bags. I pour it all with water and tie it up. Sometimes the contents of the bags need to be shaken.
Naturally, we must not forget that foliage can become one of the components of the compost heap. Only beforehand it should be crushed.
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