fidgetbonesDerbyshire but with a Nottinghamshire postcode. Posts: 16,457
I use builders dumpy bags. I find a cubic metre goes down by about half the first year, so turn two into one of the part rotted stuff. There is always some dry leaves on the top which I add to new stuff. Once it reaches the part rotted stage, if it is wet I then give it a cover of old compost bags.
We've just built a bigger, higher chicken wire enclosure to hold more leaves (right under a very big maple tree - with a bit of luck, most of the leaves will hopefully fall straight into it! We plan to make a second bin out of an old builders crate nearby for next year's leaves as we've found leaves (mainly maple, birch and apple) need about 18 months to rot down properly. Your husband's idea @Posy sounds really good - any chance of a pic please?
I use dumpy bags too but never have enough leaves to fill one sadly.
When I worked around Surrey , there were tree lined roads where the locals put out dozens of bags of fallen leaves for collection every week. Maybe there's something similar near you? or ask the council if you can collect some from local playing fields, car parks with surrounding trees?
I find that leaves at the bottom of the heap are ready before those at the top so my husband made a wooden frame with a hinged section at the bottom on one side all covered with chicken wire. It means I can add leaves for two or three years, removing composted material at any time I want. It has lasted for ages, keeps everything tidy and is really useful.
I had a similar arrangement as @Posy at a previous house. I built mine like compost bins, with a vertical sliding mesh door at the front. Simples I had no useful husband for doing any of that @josusa47. He could just about hammer a nail into a wall for hanging a picture, and even then, he'd probably hit his thumb more often.... My maple leaves would never just have dropped in @Lizzie27 . The wind sent most of 'em along the road. Had to be quick to catch enough most years I miss having trees suitable for leaf gathering here though
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
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wild edgesThe north west of south east WalesPosts: 8,829
I use dumpy bags too but never have enough leaves to fill one sadly.
When I worked around Surrey , there were tree lined roads where the locals put out dozens of bags of fallen leaves for collection every week. Maybe there's something similar near you? or ask the council if you can collect some from local playing fields, car parks with surrounding trees?
Here we have litter lined roads It's so windy up here that leaves don't seem to hang around in one place for long enough to get gathered up.
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I had no useful husband for doing any of that @josusa47. He could just about hammer a nail into a wall for hanging a picture, and even then, he'd probably hit his thumb more often....
My maple leaves would never just have dropped in @Lizzie27 . The wind sent most of 'em along the road. Had to be quick to catch enough most years
I miss having trees suitable for leaf gathering here though