The better question is “Why Not use leaves as mulch?“.
I probably should start with the labor- and $-saving advantages of leaving the leaves. But it’s me and while I’m thrilled if these are the reasons that inspire you, here’s what I really think about leaving the leaves:
Do you visit us and ask what are the best plants for attracting pollinators in the spring and summer months? Come on, I know you do. We all do, right? Here’s the thing. If you really want to take care of our creatures, then in addition to planting native pollinating plants (good job, by the way), you’ll also want to leave your leaves! Fallen leaves are their winter food and shelter.
Other than those massively famous migrating butterflies we all know and love, most of our pollinators spend their entire life around your yard! Our native solitary bees have already laid their eggs for the coming year on your property in invitingly dry locations. Caterpillars have made their little homes in the fallen leaves to stay warm over winter and be ready to emerge for the Spring season. Even our lovely bumblebees need leaf cover as they only burrow a short distance under the ground for their winter hibernation. Learn about Nesting and Overwintering Habitat for Pollinators and other Beneficial Insects at Xerces.org.
And then there’s all the other adorable creatures who need the cover, ranging from spiders and mites to beetles, worms and millipedes – all of whom provide food for our other friends, the chipmunks, turtles, song birds and amphibians.
(Photo: Xerces Society / Matthew Shepherd)
Can I move my leaves to a more desirable location?
Yes!!! This is where the cost and labor saving comes into play. You can rake them to a place in your garden where they can work for you. Organic garden beds are a great spot for leaves. And if you have a lawn a thin layer of leaves can benefit the turf grass. You can also pile them around trees and shrubs. They will decompose and improve the soil’s fertility and organic content. I know they say to SHRED your leaves before using them as mulch, but shredding them will harm our wee creatures. So just leave them to do their thing: an all-natural, weed-fighting mulch.
The other option, if you don’t want to replace your preferred mulch option with leaves, is to create a happy pile of leaves somewhere away from your main garden, in a corner, along one side, wherever you fancy! They will sit there, providing shelter and food for our creatures and will still break down naturally providing you with nutrition for your garden when the creatures have woken back up in the spring.
Also… it’s free.
What else?
