Agent: Save Leaves For Fertilizer, Composting

Those leaves falling Wednesday with the wind blowing in colder temperatures can be a good source of fertilizer or compost material.

Overton Ag Extension Agent Jason Garrett said citizens can use a lawnmower with mulching blades to shred the leaves and leave them in the soil. Garrett said dead leaves are full of free nutrients that will greatly benefit any lawn they are put on.

“Also another thing if you’re a gardener is (to) take them to the edge of the woods out of the lawn, make you some type of compost pile,” Garrett said. “Let them rot down and use that in the future for (an) organic fertilizer base for your garden, flower beds, anything like that.”

Garrett said leaves need to be shredded as small as possible to get the best results. Garrett said the leaves also need to be dry because wet materials do not tear apart as well.

“When you get done, you need to take a leaf blower and clean your mower out,” Garrett said. “Sometimes I’ve seen leaves get up inside around the motor, get on the exhaust. You can cause a fire, burn your machine up. So you need to be real careful with that.”

Garrett said ignoring fallen leaves will kill out a lot of grass, even in a well-manicured lawn. Garrett said the problem gets worse as the leaves pile up and it rains on the lawn.

“If you’re going to mulch them, you don’t need to have them in a pile,” Garrett said. “They need to be spread out. Just as they fall, start mulching them. Now piles, like I (said) earlier, if you do have a pile and you’re trying to get it somewhere where it can be picked up, you need to get that off as soon as you can.”

Garrett said it is important to clean out fallen leaves in gutters as well as those on the lawn. He said clogged gutters can lead to drainage issues and house damage if not addressed.

“A lot of people sometimes put them out in a pile and burn them,” Garrett said. “I’ve seen that done, which you have to have a burning permit now. October 15 to May 15 you have to get a burning permit if you’re wanting to burn leaves. Now inside city limits may not allow that, I don’t know, but that’s just another way I see people getting rid of them if you have a lot and have nowhere to go with them.”