Will leaves falling in my mulch be a problem?

[lbbs]

We have lots of perennial flowers in our flower bed. (12 different varieties or so- including bushes and roses, 15'x6' aprox garden) My wife was thinking of putting mulch between the flowers so the weeds would not grow (easier maintenance). I was not sure if that would be a good idea for two reasons. 1. when the leave accumulate in the fall time in our flower bed, it will be difficult to get rid of them (hard to get a rake in there). With dirt flower bet, what ever you can't rake out, it will decompose with the rest of the dirt. And if you leave them in with the mulch, seeds will start growing there next year. 2. will perennial flowers be able to poke through the mulch every spring time? I always thought that mulch is more ideal it you have a simple flower bed or around a tree truck. what do yo think? thanks

[shazzbat]

Leaves rot down to make an excellent mulch. Leaf mould we call it in UK. Don't worry about the perennials, they'll be back. If You're really worried about the leaves, grab big handfuls where you can and bag them up to rot down and go back on the garden later. They can also be sucked up through a leaf blower/shredder whatever. Some people pile them up and mow the pile. Some people push them en masse under bushes/shrubs and forget about them. Whichever method you choose, they will be good stuff.

Steve

[JewelOfTheGnarf]

how long does it take for them to become mulch? I am thinking of using my maple and ash leaves from last fall as a weed deterrent in my veggie garden this year by spreading them around the areas I don't want weeds to grow (I usually use newspaper). Would this be a good idea? Will the leaves 'rot' properly if I use them this way?

[shazzbat]

They are mulch as soon as you apply them as mulch, or as "a" mulch if you prefer. Some people use a layer of grit/gravel/slate chippings etc as a mulch around container plants for instance. It means a protective or barrier layer.

Oh yes indeed. Last fall would have been better, but what I would do now is dig them in and let the worms do their stuff. Or you can use them as a mulch round the base of plants as a weed deterrent and to help to avoid drying out.

Steve

[simy1]

yes, usually leaves are gone by the next growing season in Michigan. In fact, when I plan to use the bed for plants two years running I mulch with wood chips. If I want to use it for direct seeding the year after I use leaves or cardboard.

[lbbs]

btw: I want to use red wood much.

[J Kolenovsky]

Leaf litter is an excellent soil amendment.

lbbs wrote:

[Tom Randy]

Perennials and bulbs will grow right up through mulch no problem. As for the leaves you can *gently* rake most of them out, the remaining will do no harm but will actually do more good. Rotted leaves are a great soil amendment. I mulch up and dig in some in my flower beds every fall. By spring they are just about all rotted and composted.

Most importantly, HAVE FUN out there!

[Pam - gardengal]

Bark type mulches are not ideal for a perennial bed - compost mulches are much better. Mulches that are comprised primarily of wood products tend to deprive the surface soil of nitrogen which can affect the growth of perennials (much less of an issue with woody plants). Any type of good organic, medium textured mulch will help to supress weeds as well as retain soil moisture and reduce temperature fluctuations. It is no problem to allow leaves to remain on the bed during the winter - they should break down considerably during that period, adding to the soil fertility, and what remains in spring can be cleared away when you do your annual clean up. The perennials will poke easily through a layer of mulch (or leaves - actually a valuable mulch in their own right) when they emerge in spring but it is best not to pile the mulch over the immediate crowns of some, like peonies and hellebores - it can contribute to rot and fungal diseases.

btw, an annual organic mulch is a good idea for ANY planting area - trees and shrubs, a perennial border or even a vegetable garden.

pam - gardengal