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is there an easier/better way to get leaves out of mulch

15 years ago

I am new to this forum and wanted to ask a question or find a "better mousetrap". I have shredded bark mulch in the landscaping arond the house. I also have about a zillion leaves that are now falling down into the mulch. Didn't think when I bought this house a short time ago about how many leaves there would be. At any rate, is there an easier or better way to get the leaves out of the landscaping mulch other than handraking, as 1)it is taking lots of time and 2) when I handrake, I am also taking some of the mulch with each pass of the rake. Thanks for any ideas/direction.

Susan

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Comments (5)

digit
15 years ago
The neighbor uses a blower and it does a fairly good job at leaving his bark mulch while removing the leaves.

Steve
sylviatexas1
15 years ago
Leaves are a natural mulch;
I'd leave 'em!
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Thanks again. Do you mean adding a piece of metal to the underside of the deck? I pictured what you said on the very front of the deck hanging down. If on the outside, it would need to be at least 12" long which is why I thought it would block the leaves. My mower is squared off on the front right side but somewhat round underneath for mulching. There are two "chambers" with the center divider in but they are not really round all the way so maybe that's the problem. It could be a design flaw. Maybe it works OK for grass but not so well for leaves. I'll add a link if it works to encoreequipment.com. If you click on Mowers, then Premier then Pro Belt you would see my mower. Picture it without the discharge chute and the corner is square. Also if you click on Accessories you can see what the underside looks like with the mulching kit and how it's not really round all the way. I wonder if that's where the problem is compared to a true mulching mower... Here is a link that might be useful: Encore Equipment
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I actually went out and gathered 35 bags of leaves this fall. (Not a tree in my yard, the neighbors yes, but I can get them pre-bagged for free anywhere in the city!). Did the same thing last year out front so I know this works. #1--build raised bed--cheap lumber in a square 3'x8' (I'm short so 3' is better than the usual 4'Wide) #2--filled with a bale of straw--till 6-8" thick, add leaves, plus free compost from the city. Water well between each layer. #3--Then let it sit and compost for the winter. By spring it will be half as thick and ready to add just enough soil on top to plant the plants. My tomato plants were almost 7' tall--despite all the rains it drained very well and saved my garden. This year that vegetable garden will be flower beds (out front) and doing the same thing for raised beds out back--yep, 35 bags of oak leaves gone in a snap!!
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The Carbon to Nitrogen ratio of leaves varies from about 35:1 (close to the optimum of 30:1) to 60:1 depending on the age of the leaves. I have had piles of shredded leaves get quite warm when they were freshly fallen with no additional Nitrogen added. However, a little extra N in the mix, along with just enough moisture, should be all that is needed for the bacteria to get to work.
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Tricia, I feel for you, having been there myself. That's why I also cook ''more than one'' and rely on my freezer heavily. It sounds like we've had some of the same issues, and do many of the same things; it's why I always want to work out a plan for any recipe I make, banking the results for future meals. After three leg surgeries (and one more to go), I am almost back to normal but the ingrained patterns are there to stay. I have to separate the energy for shopping, cooking and clean up, and when it works for me...opposed to feeding us when we're hungry. I'm so happy for you that you can scratch your legs again! Tami, I make Bierocks with a twice-risen potato bread dough. The last ones I made were the best EVER, so if you go to the beginning and look at my tips, they will be very good! I got 18 meal-sized, and 20 appetizer sized Bierocks from my last effort. Since they freeze so well, it's great to know we always have dinner, and with home-made bread! I bake mine first before freezing, and reheat them on a covered glass plate on the defrost cycle for 13-15 minutes. Since the defrost cycle is much more gentle heat, it keeps the texture of the bread from getting hard/chewy, and they literally taste freshly made.
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laceyvail 6A, WV
15 years ago
I'd leave them too. I usually rake leaves INTO my beds, especially in the shade garden.
agardenstateof_mind
15 years ago
I think it depends on the kind of leaves they are. We have mostly oak trees here and those things are tough as leather ... take forever to break down and form a heavy, thick, wet mat in the meantime. They are great for the soil, though, so I've proven to my family the depth of my gardening madness by insisting on cleaning them all out of the gardens and shredding them ... before putting them back in the gardens. And, yes, the leaf blower (as much as I hate those things) does seem to be the way to go if there's wood mulch in place.
Davie Robinson
15 years ago
I'm looking for some advise in establishing a new perennial bed along a picket fence that is approx. 8-10 ft. from an oak tree. Although the shade is a real treat & opens many new options to me here in Florida, my problem being the ground is very difficult to cultivate due to loads of fine "feeder" roots under the soil. I am thinking I may be able to just boarder with rocks & raise the bed, which I am sure will also give my new plants a much better chance at success. Can I get some advise as to if weed block or black plastic should be used to keep the weeds (little trees) to a minimum if so, what depth should the bed be raised to so that the new plant roots are above the feeder roots & will it be necessary to add gravel etc. for drainage?

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