A gardening Redditor posted about their new plan for their garden beds, which will reduce the need for weeding and watering.
The U.K. gardener titled their Reddit post “Trying a new method for hassle-free garden beds” and shared two pictures of garden beds covered with fallen leaves.
Photo Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit
In the caption, they explained that they plan to add “a thick layer of autumn leaves every winter to the beds.” Their goal is to stop weeds from growing, increase soil nutrients, and improve moisture retention.
They noted, “Last year I [maintained] a grass mulch over much of the garden and hardly had to water during what was a very dry summer.”
Dead leaves can be excellent mulch, especially for perennial plants or vegetable gardens. The leaves nourish plants and protect them from extreme temperatures, like natural insulation. With this method, you don’t have to buy mulch or fertilizer, saving you money on your annual gardening.
The best gardening methods avoid toxic chemicals like herbicides and pesticides, and skip artificial products like landscaping fabric. Instead of gardening with these harmful materials, you can curate a natural lawn or wild yard that consists of native plants.
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Native species need less watering, weeding, and fertilizing, and they can thrive without much help. While the original poster here used the natural mulch to prepare garden beds, dead leaves can also help you upgrade your lawn.
Traditional grass lawns require constant maintenance and money. Rewild your space by covering your lawn with dead leaves and letting nature take over.
You’ll save time, effort, and money on your landscaping, and you’ll have a beautiful, unique space. Plus, native plant species support your local pollinators and other animals.
Other gardeners shared their positive experiences with leaf mulching.
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One commenter said, “I rake the leaves off paths and lawns onto the beds and borders in the autumn and it seems to do a good job of weed suppression and soil improvement, as well as creating a haven for bugs and creepy crawlies and even hedgehogs. I’m sold on it as a method. And it has the advantage of being a lot easier than clearing them all!!!”
Someone else wrote, “I used leaf mulch last year after the Housing Association gardeners didn’t turn up — brilliant stuff … it also works to a certain extent as frost protection and friendly garden critters like ladybirds overwinter in leaf piles- what’s not to like?!!”
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