In the gardening books they suggest using containers such as this
but just putting it on the ground is fine - and can help keep weeds down. Leaf mould can take up to two years, so it's a good thing to start with building up a garden.
Lewisham's free soil improver offer
Lewisham's free soil improver offer
This is the time of year when LB Lewisham helpfully leave bags of fallen leaves around for anyone who wants to build up the organic matter in their gardens.
In the gardening books they suggest using containers such as this
but just putting it on the ground is fine - and can help keep weeds down. Leaf mould can take up to two years, so it's a good thing to start with building up a garden.
In the gardening books they suggest using containers such as this
but just putting it on the ground is fine - and can help keep weeds down. Leaf mould can take up to two years, so it's a good thing to start with building up a garden.
Re: Lewisham's free soil improver offer
what about all the cigarette buts and crisp packets though Tim?
I've heard that 'street sweepings' are the least useable compostable material that councils collect due to it having the highest 'possible' contamination - which I'm guessing is fag ends, and plastics, which I know are definitely not good for the garden.
not sure of the exact figure but it takes thousands of years for a fag end to decompose.
[edit to add] - and what about the poor street sweeper who tells his boss that he collected 80 bags of leaves on his eight hour shift, and the boss thinks he's lieing because the collectors only picked up 70 (or however many).
not that I don't think it's a good idea of course, just pointing out that you probably should go through the leaves first, to remove fag ends, and plastic, and other uncompostables, and also be aware that the council workers may object to you taking this without permission.
I've heard that 'street sweepings' are the least useable compostable material that councils collect due to it having the highest 'possible' contamination - which I'm guessing is fag ends, and plastics, which I know are definitely not good for the garden.
not sure of the exact figure but it takes thousands of years for a fag end to decompose.
[edit to add] - and what about the poor street sweeper who tells his boss that he collected 80 bags of leaves on his eight hour shift, and the boss thinks he's lieing because the collectors only picked up 70 (or however many).
not that I don't think it's a good idea of course, just pointing out that you probably should go through the leaves first, to remove fag ends, and plastic, and other uncompostables, and also be aware that the council workers may object to you taking this without permission.
Re: Lewisham's free soil improver offer
If these bags are left for the regular garden waste trucks to pick them up, I think appropriating them for your own garden might be stealing 
. And I agree, you don't know what else is in them. You also don't know if the area where they have been swept from has recently been treated with chemicals you might not want on your soil.
Don't bother with a cage - you'll get leaf mould much more quickly by putting all your leaves in black bin bags. If the leaves are dry add half a watering can of water to each bag. Tie up the bags, punch in a few holes to allow air and worms in, then stack them up somewhere where you can't see them (mine are behind the shed). Come back a year later and you'll find each stuffed bag has reduced down to a few inches of dense, smelly, wormy lovely leaf mould. Repeat every year for a constant supply of leave mould.
It helps that I have an abundant source of leaves as my garden is surrounded by large trees - I cleared it last weekend and the grass has already disappeared again under a thick layer of leaves.
. And I agree, you don't know what else is in them. You also don't know if the area where they have been swept from has recently been treated with chemicals you might not want on your soil.Don't bother with a cage - you'll get leaf mould much more quickly by putting all your leaves in black bin bags. If the leaves are dry add half a watering can of water to each bag. Tie up the bags, punch in a few holes to allow air and worms in, then stack them up somewhere where you can't see them (mine are behind the shed). Come back a year later and you'll find each stuffed bag has reduced down to a few inches of dense, smelly, wormy lovely leaf mould. Repeat every year for a constant supply of leave mould.
It helps that I have an abundant source of leaves as my garden is surrounded by large trees - I cleared it last weekend and the grass has already disappeared again under a thick layer of leaves.
Re: Lewisham's free soil improver offer
I'm not proud - I've been doing this for years. Yes, there's the occasional fag end, but not too many. It's worth checking when you pick the bags up that they're not too heavy, which would imply things in them other than leaves. Generally it's drinks cans and bottles.JRobinson wrote: just pointing out that you probably should go through the leaves first, to remove fag ends, and plastic, and other uncompostables, and also be aware that the council workers may object to you taking this without permission.
Re: Lewisham's free soil improver offer
It's that time of year again. You can get six of those bags left on the pavements for collection in a wheelie bin, so just two trips needed to fill a 1 cu. m leaf mould bin. 
Re: Lewisham's free soil improver offer
I still think this is the best way to spread disease and pests around the gardens of Sydenham - you have no idea if those leaves are diseased or not. I put the rust-infested leaves from my stricken pear tree in the bin - but I bet a lot of other people don't. And with the new ash fungus... seriously, don't do it.
Re: Lewisham's free soil improver offer
I've not noticed any problems over the years I have been doing this, and I think if any ashes growing along Silverdale are infected with this new disease, it's going to be way to late to do anything about it. If there was diseased potato haulm, that might be another matter. But let me research the matter further.