Autumn leaves are falling from the trees in abundance, and vegetable gardeners are busy collecting the leaves into heaps.

Earthworms pull the leaves down into the soil, where they rot to form plant food and fibrous material which improves the soil structure. But there are too many leaves for the worms to deal with & if masses of leaves are left on the garden they tend to form a slimy mat, which does not break down, and is difficult to deal with in the spring.

So it is better to heap them up, away from the garden, and control the situation.

Clear the leaves regularly, wet or dry. If they are left, waiting for a dry period, the leaves build up to such a number that it becomes overwhelming. Also, if they are left in wet conditions, they become a slimy mass which is difficult to handle.

Collected leaves can be:

• left in heaps to rot down over the winter.
• incorporated into the compost heap - & mixed with other organic waste, which will stimulate breakdown over the winter.

Leaf breakdown is speeded up by:

• Small amounts of nitrogen fertiliser
• Chopping or shredding the leaves
• Squashing & rolling the dry leaves to break them up

The leaves will take 6 or 12 months to decompose, depending on conditions. When they break up easily when rubbed in the hands, the decomposed leaves can be used:

• as a mulch on raspberries, gooseberries, rhubarb and asparagus
• as a soil conditioner, by digging it into the soil.

Fallen leaves can be converted into an asset, by collecting them up from the vegetable garden, leaving them in a heap to rot down into a valuable material, for use in the garden.