October signals thoughts of pumpkin pie, family get togethers at Thanksgiving and jaunty drives to take in nature’s beautiful fall colours.

But as realists, we all know those leaves eventually make their way to the ground for homeowners to rake, bag and grumble about. Did you know there is a lot more to autumn leaves than meets the eye? Let’s look at a few ways we can treat our foliage more kindly than bagging it up for the curbside. And just maybe, we can spare the environment in addition to our backs.

Compost

Leaves are our friend, especially when making rich organic fertilizer for your flower beds and gardens. Once you’ve raked up the leaves, you can shred them into smaller bits so use your lawn mower to do so. Though shredding is not absolutely mandatory, it will quicken the composting process. Add the carbon-rich leaves to materials that are rich in nitrogen such as grass clippings, coffee grounds or fruit and veggie scraps. The balance between carbon and nitrogen is key here. Mix well and be sure to turn over your compost pile every few days so can ensure a good breakdown. The compost should be ready in about two months, when it’s dark brown and earthy smelling.

Mulch

Believe it or not but leaves make for a great ingredient in mulch. Again, you’ll need to shred the leaves. Add grass clippings and wood chips. Use the mulch to top your flower beds and gardens.  As mulch decomposes, you will need to eventually make more with which to replace it.

Insulate

Consider trying leaves as insulation for tender or new plants in need of protection from the ravages of winter. So the leaves don’t blow away, you’ll need to circle the plant with some kind of wire fencing that creates a protective framework. Fill it with leaves.

Leave ‘em

Yes, you can do this. But again you’re best to run your lawn mower over them as you don’t want a blanket of leaves that will smother your lawn. You may have to do this a few times. Leaving leaves on your lawn is good because it feeds your grass.

Make leaf mold

This all-leaf compost is a soil conditioner that is high in minerals and loved by gardeners. Gather leaves into plastic bags or wire bins and makes sure to keep them moist, which allows the fungus to grow.

Preserve them

Remember grade school art projects? Exactly. Leaves are a thing of beauty all by themselves. You can dry them and press them between the pages of a book. Glue them onto paper or try topping a leaf with tracing paper and then lightly pencil over top to create an imprint.

Jump in

If the mood hits you can always pile them up high and dive in. Kids and grandkids welcome.

Sources: www.ksenvironmental.com.au, www.thespruce.com,