It’s still a bit warm and unfortunately too dry to really feel like autumn, but the days are getting shorter and leaves will start falling before long. Remember the phrase “don’t bag it” and save those fallen leaves – they are valuable organic matter for the landscape and garden. With the exception of plants that prefer ‘lean’ soil with little to no organic matter (like cactus, agave, desert plants), organic matter helps plants grow better.

Another phrase to remember is “compost once, mulch forever.” When starting a new project – a new flower bed or vegetable garden for example – till up the soil to aerate and loosen; then incorporate compost to help improve soil structure, provide nutrients, and make it easier for plant roots to grow. After completing the project, and for all existing beds, apply and maintain a three- to four-inch deep layer of wood mulch to prevent weeds, conserve water, insulate plant roots and to slowly provide additional organic matter as it breaks down. Replenish the mulch to the right depth annually to keep the benefits going.

Fallen leaves are a great source of organic matter that can be used as mulch or composted with other materials and shouldn’t be wasted by taking up space in the landfill. Mimic mother nature as much as possible by recycling plant material to increase gardening success and to help protect the environment - improving soil with compost and mulch can reduce the need for fertilizers. With good plant selection, many landscapes can thrive with no additional fertilizer except for turfgrass and vegetables.

Some options for utilizing leaves include: mowing, use as mulch, add to a compost pile, or direct soil improvement. Sometimes leaves can simply be mowed – for example pecan leaves shred easily with a mower to a much smaller volume and can often be left on the lawn to decompose and add organic matter to the soil underneath the grass. Thick live oak leaves are harder to deal with though, they can be used in planting beds as a mulch or added to a compost bin with materials like coffee grounds and fruit and vegetable scraps to help break them down into compost. Don’t incorporate fallen leaves directly into soil where plants will be grown in the immediate season, but if a garden plot will be fallow (empty) for the winter the leaves can be tilled in and will break down over the winter, ready for spring planting. Otherwise they will rob plants of nitrogen during the decay process.

Join us for an Earth-Kind Landscape School seminar series in November to learn more about beautifying the landscape without wasting water or using excessive fertilizers and pesticides. There will be three classes – November 2, 9 and 16 from 6:30 to 9pm at the Tom Green 4H Center. Topics will include lawn care, tree pruning, soil management, irrigation, landscape design and plant selection. The cost is $30 to attend all sessions, for info and to sign up visit https://tomgreen.agrilife.org/ or call the Extension Office at 325-659-6522.

Allison Watkins is the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agent for horticulture in Tom Green County. Contact her at aewatkins@ag.tamu.edu.