Making leaf mould

November may be the time when most of the crops are harvested but there is one resouce that is abundant at this time of the year and should be harvested in large quantities: tree leaves. They make an excellent compost and soil conditioner. The problem is they take at least a year to rot down.

To make leaf mould, rake up fallen leaves in an area away from main roads and put them into large, bin-liner bags. Store the bags for a year in the corner of the garden or allotment. During the year, the leaves should rot down and their volume considerably reduced. You will then have a good quality compost ready for use. (If you feel the leaves have not rotted sufficiently, leave them in the bags until the following spring).