With the arrival of autumn, gardeners face the question of what to do with fallen leaves. According to gardener O. Voronova, they should not be burned — it is much more beneficial to use the leaves for compost. This will help eliminate pests and diseases, as well as improve the soil.
As the specialist explained, fallen leaves often contain fungal spores and pest eggs. They easily survive the winter and re-infest trees in the spring, increasing their susceptibility.
Moreover, dry leaves spoil the appearance of the area: by spring, they turn into dust. Mice can inhabit them, and slugs, including Spanish slugs, which carry many infections, can hide in them.
Leaves often harbor pathogens of scab, moniliosis, powdery mildew, rust, and downy mildew. It is difficult to identify affected leaves — only a whitish coating is visible in the case of powdery mildew or orange bumps in the case of rust.
The best option is to add leaves to compost — within a year, all pathogens and larvae will die. Leaves from any trees are suitable for compost, but they should be layered: this initiates decomposition processes and prevents mold from forming.
