Falling Leaves! Hurray for me!

If you want to have a wonderful garden for next year, prepare now with all those fallen leaves around your house! Did you know that up to 80% of a tree’s nutrients and minerals are pulled into the leaves? Adding them to your garden is a great way to replace those nutrients back into the soil. Not only do they provide a great source of carbon for your garden, but they also provide a home for worms and microorganisms, such as beneficial bacteria and fungi. These little critters will feed upon the leaves, breaking them down and adding even more yummy goodness into the soil. 

First, dig out any perennial weeds such as dandelions, thistles, and cheatgrass. These come back from overwintering roots and will reappear in the garden if not dug out. As for annual weeds like hairy bittercress, pigweed, and chickweed, layering leaves across the ground will squelch these seeds and prevent them from growing. 

Second, add a healthy amount of leaves to the top of your bed. By healthy amount, I mean a good foot or two high. This is called top dressing. If you want to prevent your leaves from blowing away and help the leaves break down faster, you could run the lawnmower over them a few times to help lay them down. 

The best leaves to use are ones that are high in nitrogen and calcium, while being low in lignin. Lignins are the tough fibrous parts that if too high in a leaf, can take a year or two to break down. Tree leaves best for top dressing and composting include ash, maple, fruit trees, poplar, and willow.  Leaves high in lignin, and not as good for composting are: oak, beech, holly, and chestnut. Also, avoid using black walnut as this tree makes its own herbicide that will prevent seeds from germinating. 

Top dressing is not the same as composting. Compost is material that has already broken down into a black soil and then been added into the garden. Top dressing is placing un-composted or freshly fallen leaves directly to the top of the vegetable bed like a thick blanket. While a well composted garden can hold an amazing 60 percent of its weight in water, a layer of leaf matter on top can hold between 300 and 500 percent of its weight in water! 

A little preparation now will save you a lot of work in the spring. As much as I love gardening, I’m always down for saving money on my water bill, and less time spent on weeding! LOL! Happy Gardening!

Featured Sponsor
Thank You For Your Support!

Related Articles

Young Voices Shine Home Link Writing Contest

Home Link recently held their annual short story writing competition. More than twenty 3rd-12th grade kids participated this year. In a competition that encourages six-trait story telling, but welcomes writers of all experience levels to tell a tale.

Read More »

Library Campaigns Feed Minds and Fight Hunger

This April, the Spokane County Library District is turning the page on two pressing issues, literacy and hunger, by launching Library Giving Day and the Bites & Books food drive. These twin campaigns aim to nourish both minds and bodies, ensuring every child in the community has access to books and basic nutrition.

Read More »

Gerald Ray “Jerry” Knight, 1933-2025

Gerald Ray “Jerry” Knight, born November 23, 1933, in Spokane, Washington, passed away peacefully on April 14, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of dedication and love. Jerry was the beloved son of Albert James Knight and Nora Marie Mack Knight. He spent his formative years in Dover, Idaho, and Usk, Washington, alongside his little sister, Chrystal, to whom he was a life-long protector.

Read More »

April 16 Open House: City Of Deer Park Seeks Input

The City of Deer Park is inviting residents to an open house to provide input on long-term plans for growth, transportation, housing, small agricultural animals, and land use. The event is part of a periodic update to the city’s Comprehensive Plan as state law requires.

Read More »

Ronald R Baird

Ronald Ray Baird was born September 9, 1946 to Thomas and Laverne (Brown) Baird in Newton, KS. He passed away January 22, 2025 at his beloved home on the Pend Oreille River, near Usk, WA. Ron grew up in a rough and tumble home, the 4th of 5 brothers, Dick, Steve, Herb, Ron, and Mike. Ron attended and graduated from Remington High School in 1965. While there, he lettered in football (#60) and was selected as an all-league lineman.

Read More »

Gallery: Miss Deer Park 2025 Elegance & Achievement

The Miss Deer Park Scholarship Association chose their 71st representatives. The program was rich with poise and promise as six talented young ladies took to the stage. From fitness to composure, they held nothing back while competing to be the face of Deer Park. An image gallery awaits because what’s a royal moment without a little paparazzi?

Read More »

Share this!

Featured Sponsor
Thank You For Your Support!

Share this!

Featured Sponsor
Thank You For Your Support!

Read more news.

Making the Most of Your Property

Replacing traditional lawns with gardens is not a new concept but one that is quickly growing in popularity. If you spend too much money and time mowing, watering and fertilizing the lawn, and it’s too hot to enjoy any time on it, why bother having it? Try growing food there instead! This would also give you an opportunity to grow and enjoy foods that may be expensive in stores but cost pennies to produce yourself, such as heirloom tomatoes, gourmet mushrooms, and seasonal fruits.

Read More »

SCLD Bundles That Grow

Spokane County Library District (SCLD) added a new twist to the seed library program, while still allowing patrons to grow and learn about local agriculture by growing seeds adapted to our region.

Read More »

Subscribe to our emails

Use the form below to sign up to receive news via email at no cost to you.

Read & Support The

Local news to keep you informed and entertained. The Deer Park Gazette is locally owned and operated. When you support the Deer Park Gazette, you support local writers and photographers.