Grain Valley News
  • Home
  • About
    • Submit Your News
    • Contact
  • News
    • Voter Resources
    • Online Puzzles
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • Kindness Awards
    • Parade
  • Job Board
  • Best of Grain Valley
  • Support
    • Advertise
    • Become A Sustaining Member
  • Business Directory Submission Form
  • Home
  • About
    • Submit Your News
    • Contact
  • News
    • Voter Resources
    • Online Puzzles
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • Kindness Awards
    • Parade
  • Job Board
  • Best of Grain Valley
  • Support
    • Advertise
    • Become A Sustaining Member
  • Business Directory Submission Form








​news

Autumn leaves: from trash to treasure

12/9/2021

 
Adapted from Missouri Environment and Gardening article by Dr. David Trinklein, University of Missouri
 

     Still have leaves to rake up? The vivid colors of autumn leaves were an attractive sight. However, once they fall and accumulate in the yard, leaves can become a problem. Dealing with autumn leaves can be labor-intensive and, at times, a frustrating task. Especially when leaves keep blowing into one's yard from neighboring homes, making the process seem never ending! 
     Proper use of fall leaves can maintain a healthy, attractive landscape.
     When allowed to accumulate over turfgrass and low ornamental plants, leaves can pack down and form a tight mat, particularly during the course of a wet winter. A thick layer of leaves can block sunlight from reaching turfgrass, thus reducing the ability of plants to manufacture food in the fall. Cool season turfgrass species such as Kentucky bluegrass or fescue need fall sunlight.
     On the other hand, fallen leaves represent a valuable resource that too many gardeners overlook. In addition to containing modest amounts of certain essential mineral elements (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), they are a rich source of organic matter. 
     Organic matter helps build good soil structure. Bagging, burning, or discarding autumn leaves is not a sound decision from an ecological or economic point of view.
     One way to recycle autumn leaves is to mulch them into the lawn. When leaves are still damp, adjust your lawn mower to its highest setting and start mowing. By using a crisscross pattern and double-mowing, leaves often can be reduced to the size of confetti. 
     So-called "mulching mowers" are especially proficient at shredding fallen leaves. The tiny pieces of leaves will gradually filter into the lawn and begin to decompose. The end result will be the release of nutrients for use by the turfgrass. Research has demonstrated that a layer of leaves up to six inches thick can be mulched into the lawn with no ill effects.
     Leaves can be incorporated into the lawn with a mulching mower.
Composting is another way to turn leaves into a useful soil amendment. Compost is partially decomposed organic matter created by soil organisms that break down plant matter. Compost is beneficial for improving soil because it binds small soil particles together making them larger. This "aggregation" of soil particles helps improve aeration, root penetration and water movement.
     Compost bins can be made from salvaged materials such as shipping pallets.
     A backyard compost pile can be almost any size that is convenient for the space available. However, for best results, it should be no less than about 25 square feet in area at its base and three feet in height. As a rule, larger compost piles are better than smaller ones. Whatever the size, always locate a compost pile in an area that is well-drained.
     Find more information on composting in this MU Publication “Making and Using Compost”- https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6956
     MU Extension is offering a free online compost webinar on December 16, 6-8pm. Register by calling 573-581-3231 or at this link
https://web.cvent.com/event/41265a8f-f564-4de2-9281-c5ee5b3e81b0/regProcessStep1
      Autumn leaves can also be made into leaf mold. This is an organic material consisting of partially decomposed leaves. Unlike traditional compost that undergoes a heat-generating, bacterially-driven process, leaf mold is produced through a cooler and much slower fungal-driven process.
     Leaf mold is made much the same way as compost, only no additional nitrogen is added. The resulting partially decomposed material is an excellent additive to soil. It can be mixed in during tillage, or used as a surface mulch for weed control.
     In addition to mulching leaves into the lawn or turning them into compost or leaf mold, they can be used as a mulch to protect tender plants (e.g., azaleas and rhododendrons) in the landscape. 
     The best leaves for this use are those are very stiff and do not collapse (form a dense mat) during wet weather. Oak leaves are excellent for use as winter mulch. When used as mulch, leaves should be enclosed in a wire cylinder placed around the plant to keep them in place.
     Have more gardening questions? Contact Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City Hotline 816-833-TREE(8733) or email mggkc.hotline@gmail.com
Presented by Cathy Bylinowski, Horticulture Instructor, bylinowskic@missouri.edu
 
 
Picture
Picture

Comments are closed.

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Burton Kelso
    Business
    Cathy Allie
    Celebrations & Transitions
    Census
    City Of Grain Valley
    Columnists
    Community Profile
    Covid19
    Covid-19
    Economic-development
    Education
    Elections
    Financial-health
    Fitness
    Food Inspections
    Good News
    Good-news
    Grain-valley-assistance-council
    Grain Valley Fair
    Grain Valley Historical Society
    Grain-valley-partnership
    Grain Valley Schools
    Health And Fitness
    Health-and-fitness
    Home And Garden
    Jackson County
    Kindness Awards
    Ld
    Letters
    Local News
    Looking Back
    Lorne-meinershagen
    Missouri House Of Representatives
    Missouri Senate
    Musings From The Middle
    Neighborhood View
    On-the-job
    Pets
    Police Blotter
    Quick-news
    Rdn
    Recreation
    Sally-whitaker
    Seniors
    Senior-send-off
    Sports
    State Of Missouri
    Technology
    Tracey-shaffer
    Transportation
    University Of Missouri Extension
    Waynes-world

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018

Grain Valley News

Grain Valley News is a free community news source published weekly online. 
(c) 2023 Grain Valley News

Contact Us

PO Box 2972
​Grain Valley MO 64029

Privacy Policy
Picture