Leaves for composting

by Ellen Bradford
(Tallahassee, FL, USA)

I would like to use leaves as compost in my no-dig garden. The nearest trees to my garden plot are oak, pine and hickory. Is there anything about the leaves, and pine straw, of those trees that would make them unsafe as compost?

I live in North Florida, so our climate is sub-tropical and our winters rarely drop into the teens.

Ellen

Comments for Leaves for composting

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Jun 05, 2010

composting leaves
by: Megan

Leaves are ideal for compost. Mix in any other ingredients you have handy, such as grass clipping, grazing animal manure, kitchen scraps, stalks, straw, etc to balance out your compost.

You can also pile up leaves and leave to rot down for several months and use as beneficial leafmold on the garden. Leaves, especially smaller leaves can be used as mulch as they are, as long as they don't blow away.

Many tree leaves, including your oak, pine and hickory need a sprinkling of lime added when you use them as they are slightly acidic. But use them as they are around acid loving plants, such as berries, tomatoes and spuds.

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