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[thistlebloom]

The contractor bags last a long time. I've stored leaves all winter and into the following spring in them and they are still in great shape.
I used to bag all of my work debris then bring it home for one of my piles and have used some of those contractor bags two years and more. I keep using them until they are so full of holes that they leak more than they hold.

These days I put a big tarp in the back of the truck and load debris onto another tarp, then drag and dump into the truck. Much, much faster than loading and dumping out bags.

 

[ninnymary]

That fence sure keeps those leaves contained. I bought a bag of those contractor heavy duty ones and I hope I can reuse them.

Looking good Bee.

Mary

 

[baymule]

What a beautiful view!! That is looking awesome!!!

 

[Beekissed]

Last night and today it rained a good bit, so the leaves were a little more compacted....I'm hoping that means they will really have less depth by spring. I was afraid I had piled them too deeply...but it's looking like it may have been the right thing. After all the rains and snows and composting when it warms up in the spring, it just might be at the right depth for planting by then.

And...I may just have some really rich soil, full of earthworms, on my hands!

Here's a few vids about leaves on the garden:

 

[Beekissed]

Supposed to be lovely and in the 60s tomorrow, so hope to go back to town to scrounge leaves. I saw a huge pile of bags as I was in town today and will be hitting that place first.

Can't wait to finish out the garden, then place some on the perennial beds, store more for winter bedding, and then store some over in the woods for later use. I have just the place to use. Will also place some in my compost bin.

 

[Beekissed]

Collected more leaves today and the Lord led me to HUGE piles of bags at just a few places, so not much running around, just like last time. First stop loaded the truck and trailer so full that I had to leave 6 bags behind. And all these bags were stuffed so incredibly full that I got my gas money's worth today, for sure.

Second trip, same thing happened. Saw a few bags, stopped and got them, rounded a corner and saw a mountain of bags and that ended the search. The best thing? All those very full bags completed the load to the very last inch. God is incredible, isn't He?

Now, for the clincher. I had first thought I would like to collect an even 300 bags and store some in the woods if I had gotten too many to use this year. Then, as the bags began to mount up in the garden once again, I was thinking...I'd be happy with 250 bags. So, this evening Mom and I were unloading and debating if I should make another run next week, as there are still plenty of places with HUGE amounts of leaves to be had~but she was wanting to clean up the truck and get it in for regular maintenance this next week. We were mulling it over as to what to do.

As I was driving the truck down to park it, I was asking the Lord to give me some sign about when to just QUIT. A person can get carried away with greed~ be it for money, material goods or even something like leaf hoarding. I was asking Him to show me what to do, as I didn't know if letting go was being wasteful of what He was providing or if continuing on was just greedy. Anyhoo, before I got out of the truck I was tallying today's take~ 69 bags~ and then adding it to the 181 already collected...grand total....250 bags even.

I think I got my sign. Today was my last leaf gathering day of the season.

What a Father I have!!!!

All this leaf bounty in easy stops, kind and generous people, truck and trailer to haul it with, a strong young man to help me, He eased my back pain enough that I could complete the task and then He even let me know when to stop working.

I am so very loved.

 

[ninnymary]

Way to go Bee! I don't believe in coincidences either. Unlike you I've had to drive a little and rake those leaves. But since I don't need very many, it hasn't been too bad. I'm following your example and added leaves to my beds and around my fruit trees. I got to thinking, do you think the leaves or wood chips might harbor any unwanted pests? I remember reading somewhere that you are supposed to rake leaves up to prevent that. But of course, you and I know the BTE is the opposite of that.

Mary

 

[Beekissed]

Yep. I figure, if God led me to the method, then led me to all these leaves, that I'm heading in the right direction...pests or no pests. If they're in there, the chickens will eventually find them.

 

[Beekissed]

Well...changed things up a bit and stole bags of leaves from the garden to use on the orchard today. I had so many and I need to move some of the thicker clumps in the garden to the thinner spots anyway, so I took two heaping truck loads of bags down to the orchard to share the wealth.

I've been wanting to do the BTE method in the orchard but because tree roots are so deep, the corresponding depth of the wood chips has to be deep as well....16 in. deep. I have 8 trees...it would take a couple of dump truck loads of wood chip to get it that deep on that space. That's unlikely to happen, so I've decided to bloom where I'm planted and use what I have....leaves.

I also had some push in stakes and deer netting from when we used to put up a temp fence around the garden, so decided to build "pens" around the trees to contain the leaves. I didn't have enough stakes or netting to do all the trees, nor did I have enough to bring the pen out far enough to encompass the drip line, so I did the best that I could.

First, pruned back all the suckers and took off limbs that needed removing. Then pieced together all this deer netting to make little fences/pens around every other tree. I'm hoping the other trees will benefit from the leaching of these areas into their drip line.

Then put enough leaves in each pen to give it approx. a foot of leaves throughout the enclosure.

Now, before you ask, yes...I know what "they" say about placing mulch materials up close to the trunk and all the woes that are supposed to happen. If you'll watch the BTE film he discusses this and how he found it doesn't matter a minute, the trees thrive and produce. Out in the woods they get leaf cover on their roots and right up to the trunk it seems to have no ill effects, so I'm guessing this won't either.

I'll keep adding to these leaf pens with whatever materials come my way throughout the year...fallen limbs/twigs, horse manure, wood chips, old mulch hay(in moderation), scavenged straw, grass clippings, sawdust, wood ashes, etc. I left all the pruned suckers in place at the base of the tree to provide air spaces in the leaf piles.

Will get pics of them tomorrow and also of the completed garden...all leaves spread and evened out. Then I can mark both chores off my fall list and that feels great!

 

[baymule]

Way to go Bee! An even 250 bags, yup, you got the sign you asked for. God gives us what we need. We made a quick pass through our DD's neighborhood this morning on the way to DH's Dr appointment. I grabbed 12 bags of leaves to add to the pine shavings/horse manure in the garden/pigpen. There will be lots more to pick up.

Leaf hoarder??? Greedy???