. . . at my house on Saturday.
“Brown, dirty snow,” Handsome Hubby (“HH” from here on) said. It appears he was unimpressed with my simile. As you can see from this picture, we live in a log cabin in the backwoods. Blackjack oak (a/k/a Scrub oak) and Post oak trees surround our house, giving us great shade in the summer and lower utility bills. However, in autumn and late winter, we get two sets of leaf fall that cover our property in a brown blanket smothering the Crossfire Fescue I’ve planted and patiently watered. Note: we only keep Fescue around the front of the house. The rest of the yard is Bermuda and native prairie grasses to lessen the need for watering.
Before I planted shade grass, I think we ignored the leaves. Then, after a conversation with a gardening guru of mine (thanks Wanda,) I decided the leaves could be put to better use as shredded mulch for my gardens. My soil is highly alkaline, so I’m not worried about acidity. HH and I tried raking, using a mulching mower, and mowing and bagging the shredded leaves. All of this was too slow and too much work. We then bought a leaf blower/shredder which HH likes. I used it once, and it shocked me. Truly. Something to do with sweat and spark plugs.
So, last spring, for my wedding anniversary, I asked for this:
It is pulled by the garden tractor and as it passes over the leaves, they are sucked up into the mulcher. HH and I worked on the front yard Sunday afternoon, and I now have six piles of mulched leaves sitting next to my garden. The remaining leaves in the lower pasture will be left as is.
Other women ask for diamonds, but I think a high powered leaf mulcher is this red dirt girl’s best friend.
Kathryn,
Those leaves should press together to create a nice mat (those that don’t blow away that is.) That is what leaves in their normal, unchopped state do in my garden anyway. Let me know how it works.
I didn’t know you have Border Collies. I have a regular Collie. Someday, I’ll do a post on how dumb it is to have a Collie out in the country in Oklahoma where it is too hot, and cockleburs hide in her fur.
LOL! Well, we can compare notes later. I just dumped about 17 HUGE bags of maple leaves directly on the earth in my bag yard to keep the Border Collies out of the mud. Let’s see what that looks like next spring! (Last year
I used rice straw, and it did break down, but was pricey and HEAVY.) Hoping for the best…
Kathryn
Hi Bumblebee,
I just read on your profile that you have 21 acres. I bet you would like a leaf vacuum. Go for it!!
What a charming cottage! (And I’m jealous of your leaf vacuum!)
–Robin (Bumblebee)