Using Leaves

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I find neighbors will always give you their leaves if you ask...they may look at you funny...but nobody ever says "no".

I'm "lucky" enough to have a neighbor who does their "fall cleanup" around memorial day. So, just about the time all my fall leaves are starting to really rot down, I get a bunch more. I pulled 50+ barrels of leaves off that property last spring.

 

[CatsandCrops]

I think using what you have is a great approach. If it doesn’t work, you can always adjust.

I’ve used leaves, straw, old hat, etc. I haven’t been able to find free/cheap wood chips in my area, but plan to keep searching.

I'm not sure if your city/township does it - but we were able to call ours and they dropped off free wood chips, directly to our yard via dump truck. They trim and shred trees the first week of the month March through September. They also asked if we wanted leaves because they do leaf pick up Oct/Nov.