Gardening expert's clever trick for reusing dead leaves during autumn

The onset of autumn has painted our surroundings with the picturesque colours of red, yellow and brown as leaves turn on the trees.

Although the dip in temperatures might mean a spike in heating bills, nature compensates with charming sights in the garden and local parks. As leaves descend to the ground, creating a rustic carpet, gardeners need not hastily rake them for council collection – these fallen treasures can be repurposed in various ways.

Wondering how to make the most of fallen leaves this season? From crafting cosy nooks for hedgehogs to giving your lawn an early boost for springtime, there's a myriad of uses for those backyard leaf piles.

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Compost them

Carol Adams, head of horticulture and biodiversity at Staffordshire's sprawling Trentham Gardens estate, encourages composting leaves, turning them into nourishing food for plants come spring. She highlights that this practice not only saves money but also trims down the carbon footprint of your garden.

"Composting leaves at home means you reduce costs and fuel use [in terms] of councils' collecting and in production of mulch materials," Carol said. Even for smaller leaf collections, Adams suggests: "If you only have a small amount of leaves you could pop them all in a black bin bag, seal the top and pop it somewhere out of the way in your garden; just remember to give it a shake/ turn every few weeks to help it compost down."

"Alternatively, for larger quantities, make a cage out of chicken wire and four posts, or alternatively recycle some pallets to make a compost bin. Stack your leaves in and leave the worms to work their magic. You could turn it over once just to speed things up."

Hedgehog home

Small animals love to shelter under a heap of leaves, including hedgehogs before they burrow down to hibernate for the winter. Bunching up leaves in the back garden can give them a space to hide away from hunting birds and even provide materials to make their winter dens with.

Marcus Eyles, horticultural director at Dobbies Garden Centres, said: "Dead leaves make the perfect winter shelter for small mammals and insects during the harsh weather. Hedgehogs in particular love to nestle down in piles of autumn foliage and you can create winter homes for them by piling up leaves in areas of your garden where plants don't tend to grow. This will make a cosy refuge and help to protect native wildlife.

Food for the birds

Birds will be looking for food where they can find it come winter -and the dead leaves in your garden could provide the source. Terry Smithson from BioScapes, a company offering specialist planters that contain houses for hedgehogs, butterflies, bees and other wildlife, says gardeners can create leaf piles for birds to return to as the colder months set in.

According to an expert, maintaining leaf piles and compost heaps through autumn and winter could become a smorgasbord for wildlife. "As these leaf habitat piles and compost heaps break down through the autumn and winter they will provide a rich feeding ground for robins, blackbirds, and hedgehogs," he informed the Mirror.

"If you think these look a bit untidy, create them behind, or under your shrubbery - protected from sunlight this will also prevent them drying out."

Autumn garland

Meanwhile, engaging children with the season's changes can be both fun and educational. Mowers Online suggested: "There are projects you can do with children that involve leaves."

"Why not get them to collect the prettiest leaves they can find, then help them identify the species of tree they came from? " Creating a homemade autumn garland is just one of the many crafty activities families can enjoy using leaves. These dried leaves can be strung together to create a seasonal garland, or preserved with glycerin for use in greetings cards and art projects."

For preserving foliage: "Simply immerse leaves in a glycerin solution (available from most pharmacies), weigh them down and leave for three to five days until the leaves are supple. Dry them out and hey presto – preserved leaves for Christmas."

Chop them into your grass

When it comes to lawn care, don't rush to rake up those leaves. Graham Barrett from Beanbags.co.uk advises incorporating them into your grass maintenance routine for added benefits.

"Mowing over the dead leaves can improve the health of your lawn whilst making your plants more robust." His tip for gardeners is straightforward: "Every week, you should aim to mow over your dead leaves. The blades will chop up the leaves and distribute them throughout your lawn as mulch.

"This is especially good if you're starting to notice moss growing on your lawn, as mulching will help prevent moss from taking over. However, mowing over dead leaves is also beneficial for your plants. Over time, the leaf particles will be broken down into nutrients, which help your plants build resilience by developing more robust root systems."

Protect young plants

As the cold weather sets in, young plants will need protection. Tim Marshall, head gardener at Raby Castle in County Durham, suggests using fallen leaves to insulate smaller plants. He said: "I will often use leaves to act as an insulation mulch for any tender perennials that I grow in the garden. I cover the crown of the plant with a couple of inches of well-packed leaves. This will help to keep the plant buds at a cosy temperature so they will not get damaged by frost."

"I often cover the leaves insulating the plant with chicken wire and lightly pin to the ground to avoid them blowing away. In the spring, as growth begins, I remove the leaves, collecting them up to make into leaf mould and recycle the nutrients as the material rots down."

Make leaf mould

Jonathan Pearce, head gardener at Pensthorpe, a 700-acre nature reserve in Norfolk, recommends composting dead leaves to create a leaf mould. "Try gathering them in autumn and adding them to your compost pile and over time, it'll develop into a rich leaf mould that is perfect to help plants thrive, boost growth and protect them from adverse weather conditions."

He suggested utilising the foliage from ash, beech, birch, and willow for optimal results whilst cautioning against evergreen leaves which don't decompose as effectively.

Insulate your garden shed

In terms of insulating your beloved garden shed for those who have turned it into a cosy hideaway complete with a kettle or even a fridge, there's a clever trick using the humble dead leaves to keep the chill at bay. Graham Barrett from Beanbags.co.uk tips: "If you have a shed or other small structure in your yard, you can use dead leaves as insulation.

"Simply pile them up inside the structure and then cover them with a layer of plastic sheeting. The plastic will keep the moisture locked in and also protect the leaves from being blown away by strong winds."