Robin Sweetser on the Value of Leaves

"Foliage season is a mixed blessing. I have one eye on the gorgeous spectacle of changing colors and the other eye on the value of these leaves - and how I can put them to work.

 "Leaves that were just beginning to show some color yesterday will soon be brown and on the ground, their brief moment of glory gone. Here’s how to use those fall leaves to feed your soil instead of sending them to a landfill.

"Look at all those leaves as brown gold. The leaves of one large tree can be worth as much as $50 worth of plant food and humus. They are a rich source of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and trace minerals the tree roots have mined from deep in the subsoil. Pound for pound, leaves contain twice the mineral content of manure. The huge amount of organic matter they offer can be used to improve soil structure. Leaf humus can lighten heavy clay soils and increase the moisture retention of dry sandy soils. No organic gardener should pass up this opportunity for a free soil amendment."

In a recent commentary, writer Robin Sweetser reflected on ways in which autimn leaves may be put to work.

To access Ms. Sweetser's complete post, please visit:

Old Farmer's Almanac: The Value of Leaves (14 SEP 18)