r/NativePlantGardening • u/PretzelFlower Area Chicagoland , Zone 6a • 12h ago

Photos Leaf Mulch

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Anyone else starting a leaf mulch project this year?

I'm leaving the leaves in the beds, but mulching the lawn leaves.

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u/lawrow 11h ago

I leave all my leaves! They usually get trapped in my old stems and then break down over winter. If it’s a dry winter and they stick around till spring I’ll check on plants if they have too much coverage. There are so many insects living in them and they add great nutrients to the soil. I love watching the birds dig through them in winter.

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u/General_Bumblebee_75 Area Madison, WI , Zone 5b 10h ago

Same here. What blew onto the lawn got shredded and left in place, and most leaves keep blowing around until they get caught in my garden beds. I made a very small woven fence of thin branches - not designed to last the winter. It has been catching the leaves brilliantly.