Fall as we all known is the season when the leaves fall from the trees and we are left with the job of dealing with them. This means either raking or using a noisy leaf blower to make a pile that can then be carted away. According to Therese Ciesinski adopting this approach is a big mistake since these leaves are valuable to the gardener. Her article which I found on the Houzz website describes five ways to use fall leaves in the garden.

In fall my town holds leaf collection days, when homeowners (or their landscape services) blow or rake fallen leaves off their properties into big piles in the streets. Later a truck comes and vacuums them away. What I see being vacuumed up are dollar bills, the money these homeowners will spend next year on lawn and garden fertilizers, mulch and bagged compost. Money they might have saved if they?d simply used those leaves in their gardens.

Horizon Landscape Company

Why are leaves valuable to the gardener? It?s simple. When incorporated into soil, fall leaves:

• Add nutrients, including phosphorous and potassium
• Increase the soil?s microbial life
• Boost its water-holding capacity
• Improve its structure, known as tilth

And did I mention that leaves are free? It takes little effort on your part to get them working for you, so instead of sweeping them to the curb, here are five ways to use leaves in your garden.

Tallman Segerson Builders

1. Mow them into the lawn. Together, shredded leaves and grass clippings add carbon (leaves) and nitrogen (grass) to the soil, reducing your need to add store-bought fertilizers later.

Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Here?s how: Use a mulching mower. If there?s a bag, take it off and mow with the discharge chute facing toward the lawn, so the clippings blow on the grass instead of on the street or driveway. Set the mower height at about 3 inches. Make another pass if the leaves are still in big pieces. The shredded leaves should sit no more than ? inch deep on the grass. Over the winter they will break down into the soil and be gone by spring.