Gardeners? Should I pick up all dead leaves?

ellie27

I am guessing the simple answer is yes however.....

I have a deep border along the back of my garden - about 80cm-1m depth by the whole length of the garden, around 20m long.

There are very high (laurel?) hedges behind this border.

The border itself is (was!) full of buddleia/fushia/forsythia/weigela shrubs all overgrown and they have all been cut back.

However this border is full of old dead leaves from the shrubs and the laurel hedges and with old twigs etc. It is probably around 10 years worth of leaves! The garden was very overgrown when we moved in last year. Should I pick them all up? I am wondering if they are good for weed control, compact piles of leaves not allowing the weeds in? I am NOT going to plant anything at all in this border but simply see how all the shrubs come back.

Thanks!

spadoosh

What wrong with dead leaves? Theyll break down eventually and help feed whatever they fall on. Also good for insects.

Leaves make good mulch (water retention and weed control and food when they begin to rot).

People pick leaves up because it looks tidier.

SailorSam

I rake them up and save them in binbags, they eventually rot down to compost.

ellie27

If it was on the grass I would rake them up, its just that it is in a deep back border, separated with sleepers from the grass area. If I was looking to plant anything in there I would be picking them up but since all the shrubs were growing perfectly well (till I hacked lots down!) then I wondered if it was ok to just leave them.

Ebe_Scrooge

Yep, just leave them. In a couple of years they'll have rotted down, the worms will have taken a good proportion of them down into the soil, and they'll be excellent fertiliser and soil conditioner. Leaf-mould is one of the best composts there is.

keith969

Laurel leaves take a while to rot. Might be better to burn them ( if you are not in a smokeless zone) and spread the ash on the ground.

theGrinch

rake weekly and into binbags. hole in bottom, water top and tie for better management.

ellie27

Thanks everyone!

cyclonebri1

Hi, leaf mulch is just that, a substance that keeps whatever it is applied too more moist and subdues weeds, a big plus.

Any leaf/compost mulch is good, but only oak and beech actually add any real organic benefits.

glasgowdan

Ellie, if it were me I'd clear them all up. They make borders look scruffy and being waxy leaves they hang around for a long time and don't ever really turn into soft soil-like material.

I'd have a wee look sometime if you like.

I'm in the throes of trying to clear up some monster bamboo clumps. Swap?

sandy2210

keith969 wrote: »

Laurel leaves take a while to rot. Might be better to burn them ( if you are not in a smokeless zone) and spread the ash on the ground.

yep just ignore the fact laurel gives off cyinide gas when burned