The lawn is covered with uninvited maples leaves from the neighbouring trees. This is really good waste, and doesn't need to be burned or hauled away.
I've staked a 12' round area of lawn for a new garden bed to be ready for next summer. I want to follow these steps for transforming leaves ➸ mulch ➸ compost ➸ soil.
The leaves will be gathered and mulched with my lawn mower* over the staked area. The mulch will decompose over the winter, and I'll add some sand and layers of newspaper to speed up the process. These steps should kill the grass and help prepare the ground underneath.
So, what's the difference between mulch and compost?
Mulch suppresses weeds, and is not meant to decompose. The mulch barrier lies exposed on the soil surface, protecting your good soil underneath. When leaves have thoroughly decomposed, they're less effective as a barrier.
Compost is the stuff that helps weeds and good things to grow.
Just to be clear, I want to make compost. November rain and winter freeze and thaw is ideal for breaking down matter for compost. Meanwhile, I can gaze at my compost pile and daydream about what to plant when spring comes along.
* I adore my battery-powered Neuton lawnmower. It comes with a mulch and bag attachment that works for collecting grass clippings. ✔ ✔ ✔
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