How to Make Mulch with Leaves
Last updated September 7, 2023
Mulching your garden with organic material like leaves helps soil hold moisture, among many benefits. Mulch also prevents the sprouting of cold-tolerant weed seeds. Best of all, if you have trees in your yard, the materials are free in fall.
Instead of bagging leaves or pine needles for the trash, use them to make free mulch. However, you can’t use whole leaves as mulch, as they will create a mat that smothers plant roots. Instead, shred leaves to make a good quality, inexpensive mulch for your landscape.
Check out these tips to turn the annual chore of raking leaves into the gardener’s gold known as mulch.
Table of Contents
Start by Raking Leaves
How to Shred Leaves
How to Use Leaf Mulch
Start by Raking Leaves
Caring for your lawn means raking leaves every fall. The leaves can be pretty when they drop, but if left all winter, they will form a dense mat that will promote disease and harm the grass.
Rake the leaves and, instead of sending them to the landfill, shred them and use them in your lawn. You can also bag up the leaves and give them to a gardening neighbor who makes their own leaf litter (or mulch).
Tips for raking leaves:
- Choose a day without wind.
- Dry leaves are easier to rake than wet. Plan to rake before a rain.
- Get the right leaf rake for you. There are plastic and metal versions to choose from.
- Wear gardening gloves to protect your hands.
- More tips on raking leaves.
Tip: Pine needles make an excellent mulch, too, and they don’t need to be shredded or decomposed.
How to Shred Leaves
The easiest way to grind up leaves is with a shredder. No shredder? You can use a lawn mower.
Shred leaves for mulch:
- Rake leaves into a pile.
- Use a leaf shredder to grind leaves, catching the pieces in a bag or large container.
- Follow all safety directions and wear gloves and eye protection.
- Or rake the leaves into a wide layer a couple of inches high. Pass over the leaves a few times with a lawn mower, mowing them into smaller and smaller pieces.
- Rake the pieces into a bag or large container.
How to Use Leaf Mulch
Pile the shredded leaves 2 to 4 inches deep around plants. Keep the mulch about an inch away from plant crowns. Do not volcano mulch; mulching up to the stems can kill the plant. Pine straw can be used the same way.
If you have more than you need, put shredded leaves in a composter or compost bin as part of the browns. You can also bag the shredded leaves and leave them for up to a year to decompose into leaf mold. This high-quality mulch will help garden beds retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Whether you need the right tools or mulch to complete your project, The Home Depot delivers online orders when and where you need them.
