Lots of people rake their leaves into a garbage bag and set them on the curb for waste collection, so keep an eye out for bags of leaves when you’re driving around. Don’t feel bad about taking them because you’ll be putting them to good use! If possible, avoid using the leaves from beech, oak, holly, and sweet chestnut trees because they’re lower in nitrogen and calcium. Leaves from black walnut and eucalyptus trees should especially be avoided because they contain natural herbicides.
You can also use a lawnmower to shred the leaves. Shredded leaves can turn into compost in just 2 to 4 weeks versus whole leaves that can take 6 to 12 months to break down.
A container with a height of 4 feet (1. 3 yd) and a diameter of 4 feet (1. 3 yd) will hold 17. 5 square feet (1. 63 m2) and 35 square feet (3. 3 m2) of shredded leaves. You can also make a square container by driving 4 wooden posts into the ground, wrapping chicken wire around them, and securing the sides with heavy-duty twist ties or rope.
If you live in a hot or humid environment, turn the compost bin more often (every 3 or 4 days) for faster decomposition. If you live in a cold or dry environment, you can get away with only turning the leaves every 2 to 6 weeks. If you’re using whole leaves, turn them every 2 weeks. You can wait 4 to 6 weeks between turnings, but doing it every 2 weeks will speed up the process.
Chicken, horse, cow, and rabbit manure are all great nutrient-rich options. You can buy bagged composting manure and 10-10-10 fertilizer from most nurseries and garden supply stores.
Continue the turn the pile as necessary during this process. If you notice the leaves are too dry and flaky, water the pile for about 5 seconds with a garden hose. If you’re using whole leaves, they’ll turn into compost in 6 to 12 months. It can take another year (or 2!) for that to turn into humus. You’ll know when you have humus when the compost turns into a moist brown or black soil with no more visible leaves.
If you have neighbors, make sure you’re putting it in a place where the smell won’t bother them. Some cities have rules about where you can place a compost pile, so check your area’s regulations to make sure you’re not breaking the law. If you don’t have a large backyard area, use a compost tumbler or spinner instead. You can buy them at most gardening supply or home hardware stores.
If you’re using a tumbler bin, simply toss these materials into the barrel. Use enough to make a 3 inches (7. 6 cm) layer in the center of the barrel. If you live in a very humid environment, you may need to add more mulch to prevent the compost from getting too moist.
Compostable materials: Foods: fruits, vegetables, eggshells, nuts and nut shells (except walnuts), tea bags, coffee grounds, old herbs, and spices. Household items: coffee filters, tea bags, shredded newspaper, cardboard, paper, cotton balls (100% cotton), hair, fur. Natural materials: sawdust, wood chips, houseplants, grass clippings, yard trimmings, leaves, hay, straw. Do not compost: Dairy products: milk, butter, sour cream, yogurt, eggs (the yolk and whites). Fats: oils, grease, lard. Baked goods and grains: cake, cookies, pasta, rice. Meat products: All types of meat and fish (including the bones). Pet waste: feces, cat litter. Anything with pesticides: grass trimmings, tree trimmings, houseplants treated with pesticides. Things containing plastic or dyes: cigarette butts, glossy magazines, colored paper, markers, leather goods, coated coffee cups, coated milk or juice cartons.
Adding these layers will help air circulate throughout the pile, allowing microbes to do a better job of breaking down the waste.
If you’re using a tumbler or spinner, turn it around about 5 or 6 times and shake it back and forth to loosen up the materials inside. Do this about 2 to 3 times a week. If you notice your compost is dry in the center, add 64 fluid ounces (1,900 mL) of water to the pile while you’re turning it to moisten it up. Avoid turning the pile every day because this can disturb the fungi and microorganisms in the pile that are responsible for breaking it down.
Humus will look like dark brown or black soil without any leaves or other materials that can be broken down further. If you live in a chilly or cold environment, it can take years for compost to turn into humus so be patient!
Depending on your soil’s pH reading, you may need to add other elements like limestone to decrease acidity or sulfur to increase acidity before mixing in the humus. You can buy pH strip tests online, at nurseries, or from garden supply stores.
For an area of 25 square feet (2. 3 m2), use 1 square foot (0. 093 m2) of humus. If your soil is too sandy and won’t hold water, humus will give it the sponge-like texture it needs to hold water. For thick, heavy soil (with lots of clay) that holds onto too much water, adding humus will help it form larger clumps (instead of small, sticky bits) so water doesn’t hang around and cause root rot.
If you notice yellow or brown spots on your plant’s leaves or crinkling, oozing, and other signs of disease, treat the soil with humus over the course fo 2 days. For instance, for a small potted plant, pour in enough humus to make a 1 inch (2. 5 cm) layer and then mix it in. Repeat this process 1 to 2 days later. [17] X Research source
Apply another layer 2 inches (5. 1 cm) thick 1 or 2 days later for extra nutrient-boosting support. Treat your active garden with humus once a year in the early springtime to keep the soil fertile and happy.
After you’ve added humus, wait 1 or 2 weeks before testing the soil with a pH strip to see if it has a reading of 6 to 8 (the only suitable range for growing plants).
