The gold rush..

Day 129 #365DaysWild 

Leaf fall. 

Leaf fall 

Leaves are not an untidy inconvenience. Autumn is a time of great bounty for gardeners. A natural gold rush.

Horse chestnut & sycamore are shedding. 

Dead man’s fingers

The leaves nourish and enrich soil.

Leaves are vital to our ecosystems. Healthy ecosystems need healthy soil mycology. Leaves are vital for fungus populations. Soil-based invertebrates thrive on the dead leaves. Worms drag the leaves down into their burrows. Larvae lie within the leaves, emerging in spring. Insectivorous mammals and birds hunt within the leaves for food.

Where leaves fall onto the drive or paths we collect them up and store. Big piles of leaves can make perfect, snug places for hedgehogs.

A gorgeous big pile of leaves

When we’ve weeded the Woodland Garden beds (ideally before our snowdrops emerge) the leaves will be used as a mulch to cover disturbed ground. There, they’ll have all the former benefits but will also reduce evaporation from the soil and reduce weed growth.

Embrace the gold rush!