I always associate November with leaf collection. When I was growing up in Vancouver, it was my assigned task to earn some pleasant exercise and pocket change by raking the leaves off the lawn. More often than not, they were burned in old metal oil drums and reduced to ashes which could either be applied to garden beds and borders or discarded in the trash. Not very environmentally friendly, I admit. Nowadays, we eschew burning in favour of collecting leaf refuse with noisy, gas guzzling leaf blowers and electric shop vacs and cramming them into biodegradable leaf collection bags. The bags are then booted unmercilessly to the curb for pickup. A contractor hired by the city picks up the paper bags and takes them to the leaf and garden waste site where they are composted.They are no longer trucked to the landfill so they can produce methane and contribute to more global warming.

However, for organic gardeners like me, leaves are a valuable, precious resource. You can't buy them at a local greenhouse or nursery and you can never have enough for gardening purposes. With that in mind, I keep my eyes peeled for homeowners who use plastic garbage bags for their bagged leaves. Because the city will only collect paper bags for the leaf composting program, I offer to take the bags off their hands so that they will not have to purchase tags for additional garbage. A win-win situation for us both. Besides providing a free home for their trash, I provide daily entertainment as they watch the leaf bags accumulate and multiply overnight like yeasty buns.

When my friends and neighbours gently enquire as to why I would want such an amount of leaf litter (I think they question my sanity at times), I respond by informing them that "pound for pound, leaves of most trees contain twice the mineral content of manure" and that they are a rich source of calcium, magnesium and other trace minerals. Because my area is well-known for its clay soil, the leaves assist me by adding rich organic matter that not only feeds soil organisms and earthworms but help to aerate my soil as well. By recycling available natural material, I save vast sums of money by not having to buy peat moss which is a non-renewable resource and other soil amendments.

I take the bagged leaves and run them through my electric leaf shredder where they emerge as fine brown flakes, depending on the setting I've chosen. The leaf shredder accepts wet or dry leaves, pine needles and grass clippings or thatch and deposits them into my garden tote. I always make sure to remove any large twigs first. I wear protective ear muffs and eye goggles and keep my limbs out of the path of danger. Remember the scene in the movie, "Fargo", featuring the protruding leg stuck in the wood chipper? Always follow the operating guidelines for safety.

I have found that the leaf shredder generally reduces the volume to 1/5th to 1/10th the original amount. In other words, ten regular garbage bags of organic matter can be reduced to 1-2 very dense garbage bags of finely shredded material. A leaf shredder is not the only tool available for mulching leaves. Gardeners can always resort to running over the leaves with a mulching lawnmower with an attached colllection bag. Some enterprising individuals have even shredded leaves using a plastic garbage can and a weed wacker. Each method will produce shredded material that can be used to mulch trees, shrubs, and tender perennials. Apply 2"-3" for a winter mulch. Mulched leaves are even good for your lawn as the grass can benefit from the additional nutrients.

Of course, you can always opt for the path of least resistance by creating leaf mould. I know it doesn't sound pretty but leaf mould is basically decayed leaves, similar to what you would find on the forest floor. Instead of shredding the leaves which can be time consuming, you let the leaves decompose whole, on their own. Create a 3' x3' wire mesh container using stakes and chicken wire and situate it in shady, cool area of your yard. Pack wet leaves tightly into the container and leave them alone for 1-2 years, undisturbed, so they can rot in peace with the aid of fungi and produce a very fine compost. If space is limited, put the wet leaves in garbage bags and poke some holes in the bottom to allow air in and hide them in a back corner somewhere.

Remember that leaves are generally acidic in nature, so be sure to add some limestone if you don't require an acidic mix. For acid-loving plants such as rhododendrons and azaleas, use shredded pine needles. Grass clippings, (no more than 25% of the total volume) will aid in the decomposition process by supplying extra nitrogen You can also use bonemeal, alfalfa meal or blood meal (2 cups to 1 wheelbarrow of leaves) or 1 part manure to 5 parts leaves to act as activators. If you are impatient, take the time to shred the leaf litter and never let it dry out. When the time is up, be sure to mix up the material in a wheelbarrow before applying.

Leaf mould is amazing stuff even though it takes a long time to create. For those of you who plant vegetables, leaf mould can be applied to the garden in the fall. Fruit trees love to be mulched with it and container plants appreciate its insulating qualities. Plagued with pesky weeds? Spread a thick layer of leaf mould onto a freshly weeded garden bed to discourage seed germination. Sifted leaf mould can also be applied to lawns in early spring but don't go overboard. It also makes a good potting mix if you combine 1/3 leaf mould, 1/3 compost and 1/3 sand together. I once read that "leaf mould can retain 300-500% of its weight" in water which is pretty significant if you have sandy soil that drains too freely or are faced with drought conditions. It appears that leaf mould has plenty to offer.

So for all of you out there who are looking for a little "old black magic" for your gardens, join the rest of us who are curb crawling and dumpster diving in search of garden leaves. When you've finished preparing your garden for winter and have hidden your secret stash of leaf bags out of sight, sit down with a good book. I recommend reading a good murder mystery by Ann Ripley. Mulch features a dismembered murder victim found--you guessed it--by our amateur gardener sleuth in one of the various leaf collection bags she furtively collected from curbs and back lanes in the shadow of darkness. Murder and mulch. What a wicked combination!