Make leafmould from all those autumn leaves currently raining down on your lawn, as it's a waste of a truly precious garden resource to burn them or send them out with the green waste.
Leafmould acts as a wonderful soil conditioner, opening up heavy clay and holding on to moisture in light, sandy soils. Bulbs like snowdrops adore a leafmould mulch in spring as it imitates conditions on their native woodland floor. Spread thickly on the ground, it cuts down weeding and watering and keeps your plants in tip-top condition.
Making it is really straightforward: just rake up your leaves and stack them in a leafmould bin. You'll find purpose-built composting containers in our garden centre, so choose one that's as open as possible – plastic or wire netting is ideal.
Fill the container to the brim, watering as you go (damp leaves break down faster). Then just leave it to rot for at least a year, and two if possible. You'll find it sinks right down to become a beautifully dark, rich, crumbly material. Use it to mulch shrubs, trees, perennials and vegetables, add some to the planting hole when planting in spring, or mix really fine leafmould with sand and garden compost for a home-made potting mix.
