Fallen leaves are a terrific source of organic material for your
garden, with a whole variety of uses. Brown leaves contain
almost no nutritional value — the trees recover the nutrients
from the leaves before they fall — but they are a useful
component for your compost heap and when shredded can be applied
directly to your garden beds as mulch or a soil amendment. Part
of my garden is under a green manure crop and part is under
winter vegetables. Both can benefit from the timely application
of leaf mould. Leaves are so darn handy I even rake my
neighbour's leaves just to get the organic material. If your
neighbours put their leaves out for collection in bags, go and
steal them. But avoid using cedar fall or laurel leaves in your
garden or compost, as both tend to kill other plants. You won't
need any special equipment to deal with leaves. I have a leaf
shredder — I am a guy and I like machines — but you can break up
dry leaves quite nicely with your hands. Here's what I am doing
with leaves: - Autumn leaves a