5 Natural Ways to Recycle Fallen Leaves

Winter leaves might seem annoying at first, but they’re really a nutrient-rich blessing from mother nature! 

Instead of trashing this gift, which can leave your soil less fertile over time, why not repurpose it for a more beautiful and healthy lawn?

Here are 5 natural, eco-friendly ways to recycle your fallen leaves:

Mow Them for Mulch

One of the best ways to recycle leaves is also the easiest: Mow them!

Switch your mower to the mulching setting, then simply shred those leaves throughout your lawn for an evenly spread nutrient-rich mulch.

Feed Potted Plants

Whether inside or out, potted plants can get a major boost from fallen leaves, which will slowly feed the plant as they decompose.

For best results, fill your chosen pot ⅓-½ full of densely packed leaves, then top off the remaining space with the appropriate potting soil.

Compost Them

Composting fallen leaves is an easy, free way to produce your own organic fertilizer.

Mix shredded leaves with grass clippings or other greenery and toss them in your compost pile. Mix the pile with a shovel every 5 days or so, keep it warm with a tarp when necessary, and you should have ready-to-use fertilizer in about 2 months.

Suffocate Weeds

Did you know fallen leaves can help suffocate stubborn weeds?

After shredding your leaves, mix them with grass clippings and Cedarcide Granules. Then, add a thick layer of this mix on top of your garden soil wherever you’re struggling with weed growth.

Protect Plants from Freezing

Surrounding vulnerable plants like smaller shrubs and perennials with mounds of unshredded leaves can help protect them from the winter cold.

When spring rolls around and the weather warms, simply remove any extra leaves as needed.

 

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How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree: 5 Tips

Trashed Christmas trees end up in landfills where they can take decades to decompose, and once they finally do, they release noxious methane, a greenhouse gas that’s worse for the environment than carbon dioxide 

Here are 5 tips for recycling or reusing your Christmas tree instead:

But Before Your Recycle…

Make sure you remove ALL decorations from the tree, as well as the plastic bag you use to drag it to the curb. Items like Christmas lights and ornaments not only damage the chippers they use to recycle trees, but can also cause serious harm to the individuals operating the machinery. 

Note: Unfortunately, if you have an artificial tree or a flocked tree—the ones sprayed in that fake snow—you’re not going to be able to recycle it.

Support Your Community

Often to benefit local parks and animal habitats, many cities collect Christmas trees and repurpose or recycle them to support the local community. 

Search online or contact your city directly to learn how to take advantage of their recycling program. 

Recycle it Yourself

Several local organizations—such as the Boy Scouts, game & fishery depts., even zoos and animal sanctuaries—accept trees from those looking to recycle them on their own. 

Visit Earth911.com to find a recycling option near you.

Compost It

If you have access to a wood chipper, your unwanted Christmas tree can be easily transformed into excellent compost.

For those without a compost pile, your Christmas tree’s branches are perfect for starting one. A 5-inch stack of thin evergreen branches makes for a great compost base, allowing plenty of airflow for a productive bin or pile. Then, add your compostable items like kitchen scraps on top and you’re good to go.

Return it to Nature

For those in rural areas, returning your tree to nature by simply placing it somewhere on your land is also an option. Not only will this provide food and housing for wildlife, but the tree’s needles can be harvested for an effective, slow-to-decompose mulch.

 

Thoughts, suggestions, have your own tips to add? Comment below or head over to our Facebook page and let us know what you think!

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