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On this episode of the Modern Homesteading Podcast, Harold and Rachel Share 8 Valuable Ways To Make Use Of The Fallen Leaves On The Homestead.

The Modern Homesteading Podcast, Episode 167 – November 15, 2022

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8 Ways To Make Use Of Fallen Leaves On Your Homestead

• 1. Leave Them Where They Are
  • Feeds The Soil Where They Land
  • Benefits Wildlife
• 2. Garden Bed Mulch
  • Suppresses Weeds
  • Helps Soil Retain Moisture
  • Breaks Down Into Humus, Feeds Soil, and Improves Tilth
• 3. Compost Biomass
  • Great “Brown” Organic Matter For Compost (mix greens and browns appropriately for best results). Ideally, a Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio of around 30:1 (leaves have a Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio of about 80:1) or 3 to 1 by volume.
  • Works Best When Leaves Are Shredded
• 4. Leaf Mold
  • What Is Leaf Mold?
    • Leaf Mold or Mould Is leaves that are composted slowly in a fungal-driven process rather than by traditional compost methods which are a bacterially-driven process.
  • Benefits To Soil
    • Helps With Moisture Retention
    • Improves and Aerates Soil Structure
    • Increases Beneficial Micro-organisms
  • How To Make It
    • Create a large pile in a wood or wire compost bin, slightly moisten, and let sit for 2 years.
    • Can be sped up by shredding leaves and turning.
• 5. Insulate Root Vegetables, Bulbs, Bushes, and Trees
  • Helps Protect Against Extreme Cold Weather
  • Pull Back From Trunk When Using Around Trees
• 6. Use Them In Hugelkultur Mounds
  • Use In Conjunction With Logs Sticks and Other Biomass.
  • Process Works To Fill Lower Levels Of Tall Raised Beds Also.
• 7. Burn Them and Make Potash and Lye
  • Use Potash To Increase Potassium In Soil If Needed and To Increase Ph of Soil
  • Lye Can Be Made Of Ash To Make Things Like Furniture Polish, Drain Cleaner, and Oven Cleaner.
• 8. Animal Bedding
  • Make sure they are dry, best if shredded.  They do break down quicker. 

Links:

• Article: Composting Basics: Make Use Of Waste and Improve Soil – https://redemptionpermaculture.com/composting-basics-make-use-of-waste-and-improve-soil/ 
• Article: How To Make And Use Leaf Mold For Better Soil –  https://redemptionpermaculture.com/how-to-make-and-use-leaf-mold-for-better-soil/
• Article: This Fall, Leave the Leaves! – https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2022/10/17/fall-leave-leaves
• Article: Do Burned Leaves Make Good Fertilizers? – https://thetilth.com/do-burned-leaves-make-good-fertilizers/
• Article: How to safely unclog drainage with lye – https://umamidays.com/how-to-safely-unclog-drainage-with-lye/
• Article: How To Make Lye From Wood Ashes – https://www.homegrownselfreliance.com/how-to-make-lye-from-wood-ashes/
• Electric Leaf Mulcher – https://amzn.to/3TBwEqv

Worx WG430 13 Amp Electric Leaf Mulcher

• 53 GALLONS/MIN: That’s right, the 13.0 Amp motor mulches up to 53 Gallons of…
• RIGHT INTO THE BAG: Disposes of leaves and debris into a bag you can attach…
• 11:1 MULCH RATIO: That’s 11 bags chopped down into 1, all due to the…

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