#compost #leaves #organicgardening
How to make Backyard Compost. Leaf mold is a great do it yourself soil amendment for organic gardening. Nutrient analysis shows leaves contain calcium, potassium, magnesium, nitrogen, phosphorous, and more. One year later we look at our compost pile from the first compost video that has been mixed to the 30:1 carbon to nitrogen ratio. The pile is hot and ready to take a temperature reading on. Last seasons compost pile is almost to the full breakdown stage called leaf mold, and we get a close look as that pile is flipped a few times on camera with the heat steaming from the compost. Leaf mould makes great finished compost for organic gardening adding a lot of organic matter to the soil. Leaf mold compost adds great water retention to the soil as well. Soil Microbes and beneficial bacteria are ever present in the compost. The nitrogen rich materials like plant matter, grass clippings, coffee grounds, vegetable scraps feed the microbes in the compost and give them energy. The microbes feed on the carbon rich materials in the compost pile like leaves, wood chips, straw, shredded paper. Flipping the pile with a pitchfork or shovel adds air and oxygen to the pile, which in turn feeds the beneficial microbes in the compost allowing them to thrive and aid in compost breakdown.

Finished compost is great for top dressing a lawn, adding to flower beds or vegetable gardens. It increases the soil web, and feeds the microbes in the soil. Fallen leaves also improve the pH balance of your garden soil as well as the added organic matter content will increase CEC in the soil. Tune in for our next video as we take this giant 400 bags of leaves and hundreds of pounds of coffee grounds to the finish line, showing perfectly broken down finished compost known as leaf mold. Thanks for watching.