Part of the north lawn.
" data-image-title="Making Leaf Mould" data-orig-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00161.jpg" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":""}" data-medium-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00161.jpg?w=300" data-permalink="https://theanxiousgardener.com/2011/11/09/making-leaf-mould/making-leaf-mould-2/" title="Making Leaf Mould" alt="" srcset="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00161.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00161.jpg?w=150 150w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00161.jpg?w=300 300w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00161.jpg?w=768 768w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00161.jpg?w=1440 1440w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00161.jpg 1600w" class="size-large wp-image-473" data-large-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00161.jpg?w=676" />Part of the north lawn.
You can imagine then how much leaf falls, or is blown, into the garden. That’s right. A lot.
Leaves blown into submission.
" data-image-title="Making Leaf Mould" data-orig-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0037.jpg" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":""}" data-medium-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0037.jpg?w=300" data-permalink="https://theanxiousgardener.com/2011/11/09/making-leaf-mould/making-leaf-mould-3/" title="Making Leaf Mould" alt="" srcset="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0037.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0037.jpg?w=150 150w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0037.jpg?w=300 300w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0037.jpg?w=768 768w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0037.jpg?w=1440 1440w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0037.jpg 1600w" class="size-large wp-image-496" data-large-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0037.jpg?w=676" />Leaves blown into submission.
During the first autumn at the Priory, I raked up as many leaves as I could and wheel-barrowed them out to some chicken-wire leaf bins I had made near the driveway. I did this day after day after day. I became a grandmaster at leaf-raking. A leaf-raking virtuoso. A leaf-raking wunderkind.Leaves raked into submission
" data-image-title="Making Leaf Mould" data-orig-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00431.jpg" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":""}" data-medium-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00431.jpg?w=300" data-permalink="https://theanxiousgardener.com/2011/11/09/making-leaf-mould/making-leaf-mould-4/" title="Making Leaf Mould" alt="" srcset="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00431.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00431.jpg?w=150 150w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00431.jpg?w=300 300w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00431.jpg?w=768 768w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00431.jpg?w=1440 1440w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00431.jpg 1600w" class="size-large wp-image-513" data-large-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00431.jpg?w=676" />Leaves raked into submission
The following year I was able to bring some heavy guns to bear on leaf-mould production.
Leaves mown into submission
" data-image-title="Making Leaf Mould" data-orig-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0047.jpg" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":""}" loading="lazy" data-medium-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0047.jpg?w=300" data-permalink="https://theanxiousgardener.com/2011/11/09/making-leaf-mould/making-leaf-mould-5/" title="Making Leaf Mould" alt="" srcset="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0047.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0047.jpg?w=150 150w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0047.jpg?w=300 300w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0047.jpg?w=768 768w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0047.jpg?w=1440 1440w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0047.jpg 1600w" class="size-large wp-image-529" data-large-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0047.jpg?w=676" />Leaves mown into submission
For a start, I had the ride-on mower. This not only swept up large swathes of leaf (while I inspected my fingernails and looked up at pretty clouds), it shredded them too, speeding up their breakdown.My second big leaf-mould production aid was a powerful Stihl leaf blower. I am now able to blow leaves out of the drainage ditches, off paths and beds and onto the lawns from where they can be either raked up or ‘mown-up’. (I try and keep the leaves out of the ditches as I don’t want them being washed out into the ponds. The latter are silted up enough).The Stihl is so powerful, I have inadvertently lifted chunks of tarmac with it.
" data-image-title="Making Leaf Mould" data-orig-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00291.jpg" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":""}" loading="lazy" data-medium-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00291.jpg?w=300" data-permalink="https://theanxiousgardener.com/2011/11/09/making-leaf-mould/making-leaf-mould-6/" title="Making Leaf Mould" alt="" srcset="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00291.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00291.jpg?w=150 150w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00291.jpg?w=300 300w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00291.jpg?w=768 768w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00291.jpg?w=1440 1440w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00291.jpg 1600w" class="size-large wp-image-544" data-large-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_00291.jpg?w=676" />The Stihl is so powerful, I have inadvertently lifted chunks of tarmac with it.
As I’ve written elsewhere, I currently use two of the Priory’s seven compost bins for leaf mold. But I’m short on composting space and so yesterday I quickly had to make a chicken-wire leaf mold container.Not a thing of great beauty but with the Devil snapping at my hindmost, I had to quickly get it built.
" data-image-title="Making Leaf Mould" data-orig-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0004.jpg" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":""}" loading="lazy" data-medium-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0004.jpg?w=300" data-permalink="https://theanxiousgardener.com/2011/11/09/making-leaf-mould/making-leaf-mould-7/" title="Making Leaf Mould" alt="" srcset="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0004.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0004.jpg?w=150 150w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0004.jpg?w=300 300w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0004.jpg?w=768 768w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0004.jpg?w=1440 1440w, https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0004.jpg 1600w" class="size-large wp-image-568" data-large-file="https://theanxiousgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dsc_0004.jpg?w=676" />Not a thing of great beauty but with the Devil snapping at my hindmost, I had to quickly get it built.
Easily made from four posts and a length of chicken wire, this temporary bin will hold a remarkable amount. I will dismantle it in a few weeks when there is room once again in the compost bins.I only have one available bin for leaf at the moment, while the bin on the right still holds last year’s.