Leaf mulch

Every autumn residents can be faced with the problem of disposing of fallen leaves from trees and bushes. Instead of overfilling your compost bin or your garden waste wheeled bin, they can be turned into leaf mulch.

How do I make leaf mulch?

Leaf mulch makes excellent soil improver and lawn conditioner - making it yourself couldn't be easier! Simply fill plastic sacks with damp leaves, pierce a few times with a garden fork to let the air circulate and leave to mature. Alternatively, if you have lots of leaves use wooden posts and chicken wire or mesh to make a container. The top tips below should help get your leaf mulch started.

  • Before adding the leaves to a sack or heap, make sure they are damp (water them if necessary).
  • Chopped leaves break down more quickly - try running over them with a lawn mower.
  • Adding grass cuttings (up to 25% of the mixture) can help speed the process up.
  • Be patient! Leaves break down by fungal action, so leave your leaf mulch sack or heap for at least a year and your leaves should have rotted down sufficiently.
  • Very fine leaf mulch will take up to two years.

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What leaves are best?

All leaves from deciduous trees - with the exception of Horse Chestnut which are currently being affected by Leaf Miners Disease. If you want to mulch Horse Chestnut leaves, please do so separately from other leaves.

Sycamore, Sweet Chestnut, Conifer and evergreen leaves take longer to break down.

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Free leaf mulch bags

Woking Borough Council are able to offer Woking Borough residents free leaf mulch bags.

These will be limited to two per resident and come in the following sizes only:

  • 90cm x 90cm x 90cm (large)

  • 60cm x 60cm x 60cm (small)

Leaf mulch bags are currently available at the Civic Offices.