Earth Deeds: Autumn's Gift...

Autumn signifies to me the end of the growing season.
The trees stop growing and drop their leaves, going dormant for the winter. The leaves fall to the ground, returning some nutrients the tree had gathered back to the soil, preparing for next seasons growth.

To me this abundance of leaves is pure gold!

I gather them up for my garden and to mulch my fruit trees and bushes, building up the soil around them.
My friends and neighbors (who don't garden) know that this time of year I will be gathering leaves and they happily give them to me. Far better then seeing them going to the dump and filling up the landfills.

Once I have everything mulched the extra goes in my compost bin, building soil that way.

TIP: If you don't have a compost bin you can just let the leaves break down in the garbage bags. This makes leaf mold which is great to add structure to the soil and help the soil retain water. Also that leaf mold creates a wonderful habitat for soil life, like earthworms and beneficial bacteria.

Leaf Mold - Easy to Make
*Rake up the leaves and pack as many as you can into the garbage bag (run over them with a lawnmower to break them up so they decompose easier and you can fit more in the bag)
*Tie the bag up just enough so you can still put a hose in to soak the leaves down.
*Set the bag someplace where it can get rain on and poke some holes in the bag big enough for worms to get in.
*Soak the leaves good and let sit for about six months then turn it over.
By twelve months you should have nice rich brown flaky particles, that have a nice earthy smell in the bag, ready to use.

Photos are my originals.