With most of the work done preparing the garden for the winter
Putting away the hoses, turning the soil to aid the worms loosening the soil, covering the parsnips so you can’t still get them out of the ground when the frost sets in. it’s time to do one of the last things you can do and that’s create leaf mould.
Leaf mould is an excellent, free soil amendment. It is easy to make, simple to use, and has a huge impact on soil health.
What is Leaf Mould? Leaf mould is the result of letting leaves sit and decompose over time. It is dark brown to black, has a pleasant earthy aroma and a crumbly texture, much like compost. In fact, leaf mould is just that: composted leaves. Instead of adding a bunch of organic matter to a pile, you just use leaves.
Benefits of Leaf Mould
You may be wondering why you shouldn't just make compost. Why bother making a separate pile just for leaves? The answer is that while compost is wonderful for improving soil texture and fertility, leaf mould is far superior as a soil amendment. It doesn't provide much in the way of nutrition, so you will still need to add compost or other organic fertilizers to increase fertility. Leaf mould is essentially a soil conditioner. It increases the water retention of soils. Leaf mould also improves soil structure and provides a fantastic habitat for soil life, including earthworms and beneficial bacteria.
How to Make Leaf Mould
There are two popular ways to make leaf mould, and both are ridiculously simple. The one thing you'll need to keep in mind is that leaf mould doesn't happen overnight. The decomposition process for leaves takes at least six to twelve months. The good news is that it's basically six to twelve months with very little work on the gardener's part.
The first method: of making leaf mould consists of either piling your leaves in a corner of the yard or into a wood or wire bin. The pile or bin should be at least three feet wide and tall. Pile up your leaves, and thoroughly dampen the entire pile. Let it sit, checking the moisture level occasionally during dry periods and adding water if necessary.
The second method of making leaf mould requires a large plastic bin bag. Fill the bag with leaves and moisten them. Seal the bag and then cut some holes or slits in the bag for air flow. Let it sit. Check the bag every month or two for moisture, and add water if the leaves are dry.
After six months to a year, you will have finished leaf mould. If you’re Impatient there are a couple of things you can do to speed up the process:
•Before adding leaves to your pile or bag, run over them a couple of times with your lawn mower. Smaller pieces will decompose more quickly.
•Use a shovel or garden fork to turn your leaf pile every few weeks. If you are using the plastic bag method, just turn it over or give it a firm shake. This will introduce air into the process, which speeds decomposition.
•If you are using the pile or bin method, cover your pile with a plastic tarp. This will keep the leaves more consistently moist and warm
How to Use Leaf Mould
Leaf mould has several uses in the garden. You can dig or till it into garden beds to improve soil structure and water retention. You can use it as mulch in vegetable gardens. It's also fabulous in containers, due to its water retaining abilities.
Leaf mould is simple, free, and effective. If you're lucky enough to have a tree or two on your property, you've got everything you need to make great garden soil. So keep checking your slug traps and enjoying the time off out of your garden.
I have given you a fantastic starter, a heart-warming main course so I think it only fitting I give us a scrummy desert ,I was having a dinner party with a guest coming that was celiac so not to make her feel left out and after some research i came up with this hope ye enjoy
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
300g of chocolate (1 bar of 80% coco 1 bar of 50% coco and 1 bar of fair trade milk chocolate all from lidl)
225g caster sugar
175ml of boiling water
225g of butter
6 eggs separated
1 Tsp. Of instant coffee powder
2 Tsp. Of vanilla extract
250g Of Raspberries to top the cake
1. First preheat oven to 180C
2. Melt chocolate in bowl over water or in microwave if you prefer
3. When melted add the caster sugar, boiling water, butter, eggs (yolks only at this stage), coffee powder, and vanilla extract mix well till all ingredients are incorporated
4. Next beat the left over egg whites and fold them into the mixture
5. Place into a round 9inch springform lined cake tin
6. Cook for 45-50 mins leave to cool
7. Then place in the fridge still in the tin for 2-3 hours
8. Take out of the tin and top with the fresh raspberries and dust with a little icing sugar
Last but not least enjoy maybe with a spoon of cream!!!
NOTE: suitable for celiac
Well hope you tried and enjoyed the last two recipes and with this delicious recipe for a scrummy desert, and now you can use them all together for and wonderful evening with friends. Please let me know how you get on and any amendments you made to the recipes, as these can be ever changing. Over the next few weeks I’m going to concentrate on Christmas which I hope can help you create a perfect meal for the day!
try zesting the cream with an orange and half a lemon yum yum :)
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