When I was a kid growing up in the 1950's in Michigan, Fall was one of the happiest times of the year.  With all the deciduous Maples, Oaks and Elms raining down those brilliant orange, red and yellow leaves—we felt like golden coins were cascading down on us.  The best part was, we knew that soon our family would be out with racks gathering up all that beauty into glorious piles just waiting for the inevitable joy---running and jumping into them with gusto—over and over and over again.  Soon the piles disappeared and had to be gathered up once again until they  would finally be disposed of.

Little did we know then, that we really did have gold at our feet in the form of natural fertilizer.  So, years later, here's what we know—think twice before tossing those leaves.  Rather than bagging or leaf blowing them, follow the natural cycle of Fall.

When shredded and spread across a landscape, dead leaves infuse the soil with more than a dozen vital nutrients—making them much more effective than synthetic fertilizers.  They also insulate the soil, retain moisture, suppress weeds and prevent soil compaction.

There's just one easy step needed to create this miracle mulch: shred the leaves into small, dime-sized pieces before spreading them on your soil.  You can do so by simply  by running them over with your lawn mower.  As an alternative, you can also use the reverse vacuum function on your leaf blower, shredding them in the process.

It's important to avoid spreading whole leaves in a think layer.  This will have a negative effect on your soil; blocking out sunlight and trapping water underneath.  Small animals like mice or voles might also be attracted to this dense environment. 

Flower beds and vegetable gardens will thrive with a 2 inch layer of shredded leaves.  Trees and shrubs require a deeper layer, around 4 inches.  If you don't have a garden or trees to mulch, you can leave your shredded leaf mixture directly on you lawn…(if you still have one!)  Blend the leaves well into the base of the grass and watch it thrive.

But, remember—before you do any of that shredding--rake those leaves into a wonderful pile, then gather any kids that are handy, (ages 2 to 102), and jump right into the best part of Fall!!