Can I put all the leaves that I sweep up into my compost heap?
Jon: Leaves break down to make such excellent leaf mould that it is preferable to keep them in a separate heap. A simple compound made from four posts surrounded by wire netting is perfectly adequate for a leaf heap.
Some leaves, such as beech and oak, rot down very slowly and may take several years. Others are much faster. The resultant leaf mould can be used as an addition to potting composts for outdoor container plants, whereas compost from your compost heap is not suitable because of the potential for weed seeds and diseases.
An alternative is to bag up your leaves in black plastic sacks. Poke some holes in the bags and the leaves will gradually to rot down. An easy way to gather leaves up from a lawn is to mow the lawn with a rotary mower with the grass box on and the blades set high. This shreds the leaves so they rot down faster aided by the lawn clippings.
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