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A LOT of Fall leaves

 
Posts: 47
Location: SE Missouri, 7A
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I spent two weeks raking, mowing/shredding fall leaves then raking up the shredded leaves and mulching around fruit trees/bushes and vegetable garden.  
Two days ago, I was talking to a friend whose son owns a lawn maintenance business, I mentioned what I had been doing and he ask if I needed more leaves, of course I said yes.  Today they delivered two truckloads of shredded leaves, almost exclusively oak, and promised to deliver at least two more.  One truckload is probably >/= to all I gathered and processed.    
With this good fortune and never having been in this position, I was wondering how to use or save the excess.  A small portion, maybe 20%, of the additional leaves will be used for mulch.  I don’t currently have the greens necessary to make large amounts of compost.  
Should I just pile them up dry and compost next summer?  
Cover to keep dry or allow to weather over winter?  
Wet as much as possible and allow to age into leaf mold?
No one said so, but I can probably get them again next year.
 
Nick Shepherd
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Can't figure out how to upload pic
 
steward & bricolagier
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I vote wet, age, and cover them with something that keeps them from blowing. In spring decide if you need them, can pass some on, or want to mix in greens. They break down a LOT over a winter, I had 4 foot deep break down to about 6 inches.
 
Steward of piddlers
Posts: 7189
Location: Upstate New York, Zone 5b, 43 inch Avg. Rainfall
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I think you have the perfect opportunity to get some Leaf Mould started.

It could be something as simple as taking some chicken fencing or other scrap wire you have on hand and making a big circular catchment and stuffing it full of leaves to age for a year. I'd secure it to a t-post in some tucked away corner and forget about it for a while. It will breakdown with time and become a heck of a soil amendment.

You could use the leaves as a brown component for a variety of Compost.

Just note that oak leaves take a bit longer to break down compared to something like maple leaves. This is because they have more tannins and lignin content comparatively. Shredding will help speed this up.

Perhaps consider getting into growing outdoor mushrooms in the spring utilizing wine cap spawn? It feeds on leaf litter and other woody substances.
 
gardener
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yep, i’d go the leafmold route, too. wet, compress (dance/stomp on), and repeat a few times.
 
Nick Shepherd
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Leaf mold it is then, thank you.   This is what I have always done in the past.  But this year I decided to use it all as mulch, eliminating moving it again after completed.  I also always regretted that in summer when I had lots of greens I didn't have the browns.  
After I finish mulching everything, I will probably make most of it into leaf mold but I may save some for making compost next spring.
 
gardener
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Just keep peeing on then.
 
Nick Shepherd
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Location: SE Missouri, 7A
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OK.  I ended up with a pile of shredded leaves and grass clippings (dormant) that is roughly 3.5' tall, 9' wide and 36' long.  What is the best way to wet them?  Rain will eventually do so but it will take a long time,  I am thinking I will put a soaker hose on top and move it every couple of hours or maybe a sprinkler.  Even with smaller piles the usual problem is water runs through the pile without throughly soaking everything.  I plan on a static pile to encourage fungal dominance but could turn it once or twice with the front end loader to get them wet. .
 
pollinator
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Location: NW California, 1500-1800ft,
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It sounds like something an inexpensive oscillating sprinkler with adjustable spread would wet down best. I have run these with compost extract in a bucket with a 1/16 dilution calibrated siphon to inoculate. That or inoculate with a smaller concentrated amount and the wet down.
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