Try to turn your leaf pile every few weeks during the fall and winter. This little effort makes your leaf mulch ready sooner.

Fallen leaves make a fine mulch for garden beds and trees and shrubs, but they aren’t the only possibility. “Any kind of organic matter can make a good mulch,” said Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge ...

Mulch adds protection to the roots of plants from fluctuating temperatures, suppresses weeds, and prevents moisture evaporation. Learn when and how you should mulch plants in the fall.