Yup, the tree leaves should work just fine as a mulch, Pat. Two concerns you may want to watch out for:

* Like any mulch, tree leaves can dry out during long times of drought. Once many forms of mulch become very dry, they tend to be more difficult to fully re-wet; some can then start to repel water. A light watering, followed by a heavier soaking an hour or two later, usually fixes this problem.

* Dry tree leaves tend to blow around in high wind conditions. I cover mine with a dusting of wood chips and it usually holds them down. Until the robins start ripping into the mulch in search of food...

The SC&M FAQs include a good one on Uses for Fall Leaves, see the link below.

All the best,
-Patrick

Here is a link that might be useful: SC&M FAQs

Pat, there ARE no stupid questions! There are only stupid people who refuse to ask questions, and then they screw up everything because of that.

Ask away!

Sue

I'm very partial to leaves as a mulch. Over time they will decompose in place and the resulting leaf mold is a very beneficial soil improver. If you can shred them in some fashion they work even better.

The link below is to several previous discussions on their benefits and you'll also find a couple of our FAQ's about their uses and benefits as a mulch.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Mulching with leaves discussions & FAQ's

As you noticed toward the bottom of your pile of leaves they are wet, because?
Whole leaves can pack down and can slow the flow of water to the soil, but anywhere that I have seen whole leaves piled on soil that soil, under the leaves, has been very moist. Whole leaves, depending on the tree species, can be difficult for the soil bacteria to digest, Oak leaves and Pine needles being the worst while Maples (Acer species) are very easy,
If the purpose of a mulch is to aid in retaining soil moisture why would whole leaves be any worse for that purpose than shredded leaves, which the soil bacteria find very delectable and digest very quickly (at least in my garden) so that by the middle of August when I really need that mulch they have pretty well digested it. I would put the whole leaves down and not worry about it.

Thanks everyone for your replies! Kimmsr, that's kinda what I was thinking, that the whole leaves would hold moisture underneath them. It seems everything I read about leaves as a mulch is that they should be chopped. Just couldn't do it at this point!

Thanks!
Pat

Having done both I think the main advantages to the shredded ones, and maybe why it is so often recommended, is that they do decompose faster - thus the soil improvement is faster - and once wetted down don't tend to blow away as much, in theory. ;) But either way - shredded or not, works great.

I use a light layer of shredded leaves as mulch, sometimes mixed with compost, on the gardens in front, because they look more tidy. They are nice rich medium brown color and don't particularly stand out because the gardens are fairly densely planted.

In the back yard I use whole leaves, collected in the fall and at the municipal composting site. Sometimes they sit in the bags for awhile, and I love it when they come out wet and gushy and partially decomposed.

In the pathways and under bird baths, I use aged wood chips, leftover from treework.

Gotta love those leaves. In a compost bin they attract redworms (I hope they're not just in New England)and they add castings in a big way. Even if the redworms didn't show up, the leaves deteriorate to the nicest black soil amendment. Either way, use the leaves, they're great.