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How effective is leaf mold at mulching?
Chris Mason
Posts: 159
in Talkback
All of this year I've been using composted wood bark and it's done a great job at what is has to do... Next year I'm hoping to use leaf mould. How effective is leaf mold as a mulch? One concern I have is that the roots of the plant might grow into it, thus the purpose of the mulch is compromised.
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Hi Chris. Leaf mould (or mold) is essentially a soil conditioner rather than a mulch although some people do use it as a light mulch. Personally I stick to composted bark when I want an effective cover and use my leaf mold to improve the soil structure.
I thought so, perhaps if I was to do 50% leaf mould and 50% bark as a mulch? I know there are various qualities of the stuff, I was told anything that is thoroughly broken down 2-3 years makes a great soil improver while anything that is 1 year or younger is a good mulch (stuff where some leafs are still visible).
If you spread a thick layer on the surface the worms will take it in and mix it up. It's likely to contain weed seeds though, so be prepared to hoe.
It's particularly good for woodland plants like gooseberries and raspberries.
My garden is sort of a 'woodland'/'woodland edge',
I think I'll work some well broken down mold into the soil + do a mixture of composted bark and partly broken down leafs as the mulch.
It's good for soil structure, for introducing micro and mesofauna, and for improving soil permeability. Much depends where you are and where you get the leaves from. If you're up north it might be worth avoiding collecting leaves from public parks so as not to inoculate your garden with Arthurdendyus triangulatus (NZ flatworm), as I did. Further south I think Australoplana sanguinea (Australian flatworm) are a more significant pest. Perhaps collecting with a shredding leaf vacuum might mitigate against flatworms as well as saving on real estate and time.
The only problem is, where would you suggest I get leaves from? My garden only drops a handful of leaves every year.... I'm in south east England.
The wild, deciduous forests, anywhere where there aren't bought-in plants which are the principle vector of colonisation. The NZ flatworms don't like the heat (20deg C ha, that's what they call 'heat' up here ) so they are less prevalent in SE UK. Their spread has come from botanic gardens to garden centres to domestic gardens. Council parks use bought-in-plants quite heavily so are prone to colonisation. The specimens hang out in leaf litter, waiting for anecic (elevating) worms to ascend then ambush them.
The park doesn't have any bought in plant, it's got a 'meadow' on the left, a line of trees going through the middle, a large open field and then a children's play area at the farthest end. All of this is then surrounded by a tree line (beech, horn beam, oak, chestnut, and a few others) I've walked through the park many times, the ground is free of litter and other stuff you wouldn't want to see, it's all open so on a hot day you don't have much shelter