I don't even know what leaf mulch is, the leaves from last year around the plants? I'm just a touch north of Winnipeg and we'll be doing it soon. So nice to be warming up! Much better than last year,eh?

Totally better!

Yes, instead of bark mulch all year we simply save fallen dry leaves and mound them around our plants for frost protection during the winter - we've even been able to save some perennials not zoned for us by keeping them warmer this way. But, it can contribute to problems if not removed at the right time.

Never. Remove it never. It should decompose within a year. Sometimes faster. Leaf mulch is one of the healthiest things for a tree, almost as important as sunlight and water. I let leaf mulch stay on the ground all year long. That's what Mother Nature does in the forest, right?

I fully agree. The more organic matter you can put on or in the soil the better....up to a certain point, of course. I consider my whole garden a compost pile.

Mulches should be planted with groundcovers and then should be top dressed with leaves or woodchips annually.

The more textured the mulch and groundcovers you have, the more creatures it supports. A garden isn't just for looks, it should support wildlife also.

Here's my garden.

Mike

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