Composting Oak Leaves

Some people sometimes wonder if Oak leaves are OK to compost.  The answer is of course a big YES!  Oak leaves are slightly acidic, but overall are a wonderful addition to the compost pile.

A top tip from one of our volunteer Master Composters is to shred them as much as you can. Oak leaves are really tough and breaking them up not only increases surface area for microbes to attack - but it makes entry points in the tough material.  An easy way to shred leaves is to use the lawn mower on them.

Autumn leaves of all types really do make a great addition to the compost heap.  They are highly fibrous improving the aeration and composition of the soil.   The key thing like with all composting is everything in moderation, so make sure you mix in a bit of paper, cardboard, tea bags, vegetable peelings and other green garden waste so they you produce a well balanced compost. 

Other options for your leaves include: - 

 

- Think about using them as mulch. If you compost them they can take a while to break down but this is why they make a good mulch.  They stay in place for a long while and keep moisture in the soil and ultimately the rot into the soil like compost.

- If you keep them separate from your compost heap and leave them wrapped in a black plastic bag for a year or so they will make a great leaf mould.  Leaf mould is really precious soil improver which whilst not as nutritious as compost helps give excellent soil structure.