Gardeners warned not to remove fallen leaves this week

Autumn is finally here, but this means your garden will experience a completely new shift. From flowers beginning to wilt to increased pestactivity, gardeners must navigate new tasks in the changed climate. The biggest nuisance can be fallen leaves covering your lawns and pathways; however, garden experts urge not to dispose of the leaves, but to do one important task instead.

An expert at Country Living shared: "While September brings a light scattering of leaves, the big leaf drop won't happen until October and November. Still, I like to keep things neat and tidy, so I rake any fallen leaves into the garden beds. There, they act as natural mulch, conserving moisture and helping to keep weeds under control."

What is mulch?

Mulch is a thick layer of material, such as compost or straw, that is placed over soil and around plants. It suppresses unwanted plants such as weeds and locks moisture into the soil while acting as a physical barrier to wind and sun.

"Some mulches also contain nutrients, acting as slow-release plant food," reported Gardeners' World.

Why your garden needs mulch in the colder seasons

Autumn is a key time to add mulch to your gardens. It insulates the ground, keeping hold of any remaining warmth from the summer months.

According to Burgon&Ball, mulch also "prevents waterlogging over the winter, as water drains away through the mulch. It prevents topsoil from being washed or blown away by winter storms. And as it's likely you'll be in the garden less over the winter months, it'll keep weeds at bay until the spring."

Fallen leaves, or rather "leaf mould," is important for your garden as they're low in nutrients but excellent soil conditioners. Leaf mould is created when autumn leaves are broken down by the slow action of fungi.

How to make mulch with fallen leaves

To create leaf mould, pile fallen leaves in a mould bin or cage and leave to rot. "Small thin leaves such as birch break down fairly quickly, while large leathery ones such as chestnut benefit from being shredded first," reported Gardeners' World.

A garden enthusiast at Chelsea Green noted: "Some degree of shredding is necessary for composting leaves, because whole leaves tend to form a soggy mat that will take forever to break down."

Explaining in further detail, they stated: "Another reason for shredding leaves is the twigs. Although I remove the larger branches for chipping separately, most leaves have a lot of fine twigs that are a nuisance to pick out, yet I don't want them left whole. This is especially an issue with leaves collected in the forest or from lawns with big old trees"

A garden expert at the RHS says you don't need an expensive shredder to do this. Instead, you can simply collect leaves from the lawn using a rotary mower. This not only shreds the leaves but also adds grass clippings, increasing the leaf mould's nutrient value.