I have read that tree leaves are broken down by different bacteria or fungi than you find in a compost pile. I think you're supposed to put tree leaves in a separate pile of their own, and it takes 2 years for their special bacteria to break them down into compost. Leafy annuals (weeds and veggies), grasses, fruits, and other softer "greens" are broken down by a different crowd of micro-critters. Adding tree leaves may interfere with the process. At least that's what I've read in composting books. A few tree leaves always get mixed up in my compost piles, but it's usually two years before I use them anyhow! As for the saplings and new, short growth in your hardwoods, please consider leaving them. First of all, they are the next generation of giant trees, and second of all, they play a very, very important role in the circle of life. Deers and bunnies, for instance, can't climb 80 feet to reach the leaves of mature trees -- they depend on underbrush for their food. Same for lots and lots of forest critters, big and small, who depend on each other for an eco "balance." A lot of that understory also might bear fruit, such as wild blueberries, and nectar-filled flowers (even though they're not big, showy flowers like we put in our gardens). My dad calls the understory of his woods "trash" (or something more vulgar) and always chops it out and burns it. Think about cherishing your underbrush as part of the "view," and you'll even get more excitement from watching the critters who dwell in it. I've been to Alabama, and it's lush and beautiful. I know what you mean about those mature hardwoods, and seeing the majesty of their big, tall trunks soaring to the sky is breathtaking. I understand! But the little scrappy plants can be fascinating, too! Especially if you tread little footpaths in and around them -- you can wander through your own little private forest, and the underbrush adds to the quiet and solitude. Enjoy your forest, and know that, as its owner, you are its only steward and protector. (And if you're scared of the above-mentioned "critters" coming too close to your home, just leave a belt of exposed area around your house, separating you from the woods. The more underbrush in your woods, the more home-like it is to the critters, so they won't be interested in taking up residence in your crawlspace.) (Sorry for going off-topic a bit!)

To pam_chesbay: I probably should have been more clear in my original post. I realize now that it made me sound like an angry, unreasonable person. I actually live in a house in which my backyard butts up against a community of townhomes. If you hop the fence in my backyard, you are on the property of these townhomes. There is a length of ground where the pine trees are growing (this is what was left of a former forest area), then the driveway/road of the townhomes, and then the actual homes. So, the area behind my home is not my neighbor's yard. It is the property of the townhomes and that is where I was throwing the sticks when the person yelled at me and I yelled back. The neighbors to the sides of me (my real neighbors) also have pine trees that are hanging over my property, but I don't make a big deal of it to them. There is no way they would cut down their trees and even if they agreed, it would cost a fortune that none of us would be willing to spend (there are lots of trees and they loom hundreds of feet in the air). Anyway, I get along great with my neighbors. I have actually solved the problem by having a screened porch built. Now the tree debris stays off of my patio, I don't have to sweep, and everyone is happy. Thanks for your supportive post!

nywoodsman's worldview is such because he has never experienced poison ivy like the rest of us! My wife and I are very allergic to p.I. But she is more allergic than I. We went to Disney World one year and they wouldn't let us in to a tour group because they thought she had a highly contagious skin disease (like eczema) on her face!! We had an abundance of it growing in a shrub we wanted to keep. I trimmed the shrub but avoided p.I. like the plague!! But it got so bad growing out of control each year that this year I had to do something. I obtained SYRVET's OB Veterinary Gloves which go all the way up to the shoulders (you can get them on Amazon). I had my wife tape them to my shoulders--however, you have to tape them across the back of the shirt, from top of glove to top of glove because the sweat will cause the tape to come loose and the glove will descend down to near the wrists. Not good!! After I finished working, I had my wife carefully pull the long gloves inside-out and we placed them in a plastic bag for disposal. She had to wash right away but did not get any rash. Once the gloves were off and disposed of, I immediately used Technu on my hands and wrists by rubbing them for several minutes. Then I used a liquid soap on that and washed my hands and wrists off. I followed that with a shower. Don't think that wearing an old pair of pants will protect you completely! Some of the urushiol oil penetrated the cloth and I got a rash on my thigh. I treated it with Technu soap regularly for several days. That did not get rid of the rash but it did lessen the severity of the itch. Some may be interested In knowing that Technu also makes something called "Tecnu Corticool" which is a hydrocortisone that gives you relief from the itch. But you will have to apply it again after awhile. This cream comes in a 1.5 oz tube and can also be gotten on Amazon. Hope this helps

Gotcha Dave. Sour is often used to mean acidic, though most folks don't probably realize that when they use the word. But I see what you're saying. For my part, I would never advocate purposely mixing uncomposted woodchips into soil. As a mulch layer over the top-yes, of course. But not mixed in. The other problem with bark or woodchip mulches is their tendency to form a hydrophobic mat. It seems that some of these beneficial fungi which colonize the chip layer, over time, glue the whole thing together with their mycellia. I've already seen it where you can lift an entire tree ring of mulch with one hand like it's all one-piece. The only reasonable method for dealing with this-so far as I'm aware-is to get your three-prong cultivator out and gently work the stuff up. That also freshens its appearance. We use wetting agents to water some of our ornamental plantings in areas where stirring up the mulch isn't feasible, but I wouldn't expect the average homeowner to be purchasing wetting agents! BTW, some folks claim just your general-purpose dish detergent will "work just as well" as the expensive pro stuff. I can tell you from direct experience that's not necessarily so. The big manufacturers of consumer goods like dish detergent vary their recipes as different supplies come and go, or as ingredient prices rise and fall. So you never really know what you're getting. At least with professional wetting agents, they are what they say they are. And it is possible to find relatively low-cost ones, relatively being the operative word there. +oM