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Discussing ways to reduce waste and build community!

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Tips for disposing of fallen leaves (slrpnk.net)

submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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My mom was complaining that the city has limits on how many leaves that they'll pick up, and she's got bags and bags of leaves stuffed into black garbage bags. This seems like a problem that should have some kind of backyard solution.

I've done a cursory search, and see that leaves are very compostable. They can also apparently be turned into "mold", though I don't fully understand what this means.

But I also see that there is a lot of variety in compost bins, and they're quite expensive. So I'm wondering: what's the best strategy for making leaves go away? She's not specifically interested in the product of the leaves, she just wants to find somewhere to put them after she rakes them up. Any ideas?

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

yeah, you can just let them rot. mold is a fungus eating it up. it is one factor in decomposition. there are also bacteria, insects and others eating dead leafs. fun fact: some plants need the leafs as cover to better survive the winter. decomposing plants can also become warm. the problem with garbage bags is: they don't let air or microorganisms in, so the contents can't rot to become soil as fast.