One of many items of recommendation the gardening world has acquired unsuitable through the years is about choosing up fallen leaves from round crops. Whereas it is smart to comb autumn leaves from paths to cease slipping and to rake it off of lawns to keep away from shading injury to the grass, it’s incorrect to take away it from planting areas.

The advice goes: it is best to take away fallen leaves from round crops to scale back slug and snails and to keep away from shading the crops. Each of those items of recommendation are counterintuitive and I’ll clarify why.

1) Fallen leaves are the wild method

As I clarify usually in my Wild Method Publication, if we glance to nature, it would inform us the whole lot we have to learn about rising in gardens. Within the wild, leaves fall and this varieties the premise of most natural matter that powers development the next yr. The leaves decompose thanks to varied organisms within the ecosystem, which incorporates slugs and snails, as properly fungi, micro organism and different microorganisms. Individuals typically ask me “what’s the level of slugs?” and the reply is straightforward, certainly one of their necessary roles is to interrupt down fallen leaves, recycling it as nutrient wealthy humus that crops use for development sooner or later. The opposite is as meals for useful animals.

2) Fallen leaves are habitat for slug and snail predators

When you really feel you will have an issue with slugs and snails, the perfect factor you are able to do is go away fallen leaves as a result of it’s dwelling to their pure predators. Beetles, centipedes, frogs, toads, gradual worms, hedgehogs, you identify it – all of those animals conceal and stay underneath damp, protecting fallen leaves for many of the yr. Feeding on, you guessed it, slugs, snails and different nibbly bugs. Take away it and also you take away the predators, and off slugs and snails will slide to what’s left, your crops.

3) A pure mulch making your life simpler!

Gardening recommendation of the previous tells us to take away leaves in autumn after which mulch round crops in spring with compost. Why? Leaves are a pure mulch, that break down and are pulled into the soil by worms and different soil dwelling life. Individuals fear that the leaves could smother smaller crops however they typically work their method round crops as autumn progresses, as occurs naturally within the wild (proven above). Many perennials will naturally go dormant in winter anyway, and rising by way of fallen leaves isn’t any totally different to rising again by way of soil. In reality, the leaves provide a layer of safety from the winter parts. You probably have smaller evergreen crops you may brush the leaves off or, personally, I might transfer them to a extra applicable place or change them with one thing extra tolerant. Ferns for example could be evergreen however are additionally extraordinarily shade tolerant, shade loving crops like this gained’t bat a leaf a couple of skinny layer of leaves in winter.

4) Fallen leaves don’t final lengthy in a wholesome ecosystem

Most fallen leaves will blow round crops and start decomposing shortly, particularly with a wholesome ecosystem that features slugs and snails. Above you may see how the leaves that fell from a really massive rowan, birch and an amelanchier have just about all been absorbed into the soil inside a month or so. It’s true that some bushes like oak and beech have harder leaves that take for much longer to decompose. Nonetheless, these make incredible habitats for useful animals like frogs, toads, gradual worms and hedgehogs. It simply requires bigger crops like large ferns that the leaves will fall round and never on.

5) Fallen leaves are stunning, good for wildlife and cut back upkeep

Look once more at fallen leaves. Take away from paths and lawns however preserve them round your crops. It would imply it’s worthwhile to alter what you plant barely, however that is all a part of changing into a greater gardener. Creating a wonderful backyard for you, that’s simpler to take care of and sensible for the planet.