How To Compost Oak Leaves: Step by step guide

There are endless methods in the market today to choose from for green living. Traditional approaches to fulfill necessities are still common. Still, they are on the urge to get costly due to the limited quantity and damage it causes to our planet.

Composting is an aid to reduce environmental damage and restore human health, as a large part of the farming and gardening industry consumes chemical fertilizer and pesticides.

Chemically synthesized products for plants cause ‘bioaccumulation’ that might harm the heart and kidney. Additionally, the lockdown era encouraged and promoted the kitchen garden concept fairly.

Now, what if I tell you that there is no need to buy soil fertilizer? Do you remember the condition of your backyard during the falls?

Many of you know about compost, but do you know the process? Don’t you worry; we are here to prepare you for oak leaves to compost.

What is Composting?

If you are planning to choose sustainable fertilizer and want to reduce food waste to decrease greenhouse emissions, this is it. We are here to spill the beans about a ‘green’ way to turn your ‘yellow’ oak leaves into compost. Damn, so many veggies!

The mass population knows about composting, but they don’t know about composting. Composting is a method to recycle organic material such as food and plant waste into fertilizer to improve soil quality.

This is a natural process that decomposes in an ideal environment, and this is rich in nutrients and is perfect for gardening and farming purposes.

What are the Benefits of Composting?

Sustainable practices initiate a process to reduce and serve the purpose of minimizing harmful non-biodegradable contaminants. Composting helps to manage food and garden waste.

According to municipal reports of the United States, billions are spent on waste management, which leads to a significant burden on the economy and the environment. Hence, composting helps reduce organic waste production.

Composting is a brilliant way to improve soil quality and decrease the use of inorganic or harmful chemicals. Compost helps the soil to restore and increase the soil’s water retention capacity, productivity, and nutrient value.

Why are Oak Leaves Ideal Compost?

Although the season of oak leaves turning brown is a melodic ode for poets and painters, that reminds me of these lines by Katharine Lee Bates,

The leaves and tassels of the oak

Were golden-green with May,

Pavilion whence forever broke

Some angel roundelay

Oak is a rich nitrogen source with other essential plant growth nutrients that make it an ideal compost element. They are beneficial for new plants’ root development and prevent your plant babies from getting any disease.

However, the fresh oak leaves have high acidic content that decreases eventually as the leaves dry. Some parts of the country observe that oak trees lose their leaves in the spring rather than the fall.

Step by Step Guide to Compost Oak Leaves

Garden owners are often concerned about their garden’s appearance. However, the acidic pH of oak leaves does not cause any harm to your garden. The leaves eventually dry and break down, resulting in valuable vitals to enrich plants.

Step1: Oak leaves have a thick membrane, and their density sometimes makes it tough to break them down naturally.

You can collect the leaves and use a leaf shredder and lawnmower to reduce them into tiny pieces. You can put this on top of the soil and let it decompose naturally.

Step2: The compost pile needs to be placed in a partially open space with at least 3-5 hours of direct sunlight. You can add organic wastes such as food and vegetables to speed up the decomposition.

Step3: Collect the oak leaves and shred them to decompose faster. There are various tools available online to make the process easy for you.

Step4: There will be some mix and match now. Make a 3-4 inch heap of shredded oak leaves and jumble it up with kitchen waste, food scraps, other plants (shredded), leftover compost, or manure from the previous batch.

Step5: Decomposition is a natural process that requires patience like nature. To maintain a suitable compost condition, you need to mix it once or twice a week, which helps the heap grab enough oxygen.

This also helps to fasten the decomposition through the presence of organic material.

Once the compost is ready, spread it onto your garden bed around plantings 4 inches deep. For an unplanted bed, mix the compost 4-6 inches deep. Make sure not to disturb the root system while mixing the compost.

Maintenance of Oak leaves Compost

If they are correctly maintained, we can make things efficient. It works for the human body as well. Did you exercise today or go for a walk? If not, let’s go and check on our oak leaf compost. To maintain the whole process, you need to do these quick checks-

· It is advised not to add animal products such as dairy food, meat, fat, animal skin, etc.

· Never burn leaves as they lead to toxic air quality and harmful gases.

· Oak leaves compost is an environment-friendly, slow process with promising results. It is required to keep the compost pile moist in summers, don’t drench it.

· Snow might disturb the natural reaction; hence, try to keep it under shade during the snowfall. Remove the snow, mix and aerate to save the nutrient content from leaching out.

· Avoiding animal manure will restore the pleasant odor.

The composting process takes up to 6 months, but this might vary depending upon the season, conditioning, weed growths, and methods.

Also, 3 feet by 3 feet is considered an ideal size for a compost pile as it retains heat better. It is suggested to mix the pile regularly to maintain temperature to kill weed growths.

How to Speed Up the Decomposition of Oak Leaves?

Composting is a natural process that takes an average of 4-6 months. Microbes responsible for the decomposition of organic matter require nitrogen for growth and metabolism. However, leaves contain more carbon and less nitrogen, and the compost pile cannot acquire adequate nitrogen levels.

Research suggests grass clippings and other nitrogen-rich organic matter can promote decomposition, and you can observe faster results. Shredding leaves also increase the rate of decomposition.

Garden experts suggest forming the rack of layers with compost piles of 3-5 feet with soil, shredded leaves, and organic waste.

In the process, aerated compost increases microbial activity and prevents pathogens from hindering composting. So, aerate often to make these oxygen-loving bacteria happy.

The Myth ‘Burst’ World of Oak Compost

Misconceptions about oak leaves and composting are scattered infinitely. Oak leaves stepping into their ‘brown’ lifespan are the epitome of beauty. However, few people are okay with clicking pictures for social media but abhor when oak leaves shred into their garden.

A recent government report claims that a large percent of the population favors burning the pile of oak leaves rather than opting for sustainable options.

The municipal corporation states that leaves shed by trees end up in landfills significantly.

Oak toxicity and leaf composition

Oakleaf toxicity is the talk of the town in the fall, and they are considered something highly acidic to destroy your lawn. It seems like it is a highly false garden myth!

As oak leaves contain a high level of tannins responsible for the black color, it is toxic and makes it bitter. Herbivores like cows and horses avoid munching oak leaves. However, humans are good with tannins as we are tea addicts roaming around.

‘Acidity’ of oak leaves

Green and freshly fallen oak leaves have high acid level concentrations. However, as they decompose, they become less and less acidic.

But it does not affect or acidify the soil, which means oak leaves are not responsible for changes in your soil pH.

‘Pamper’ oak leaves

Gardeners see oak leaves as a threat but let me assure you. This is not so true. Oak leaves are slow to decompose due to their leathery morphology and thick membrane. Also, the oak leaves show poor mulching properties as they clump and form an impenetrable layer.

Experts suggest shredding oak leaves before using them for composting to avoid this. You can use lawnmowers and shredders to help you through the process.

How does Composting Oak Leaves help Plants’ Health?

They can be called controlled-release fertilizers as they release mentioned nutrients eventually. Oak leaves mulch (layer applied to the soil’s surface) prevents oil from drying.

· Compost oak leaves to have some great benefits as their surface helps maintain moisture.

· It shows a significant positive impact on the health of lawns, agricultural land, etc.

· Contains valuable disease-resistant properties.

· Enriched with nutrients.

· Increase water holding capacity.

Fallen leaves have a significantly high level of nutrients. Analysis shows that oak leaves contain about 0.5 percent nitrogen, 0.1 percent phosphorus, and 0.5 percent potassium with trace elements like calcium and magnesium.

How is composting good for the environment?

Sustainable agriculture practices have the potential to change the world of economy, health, and environment. According to a research paper published in Springer Open, compost helps maintain soil temperature that leads to reduced weed growth. Compost is helpful to improve microbial activity and soil quality, beneficial for food quality.

Regular use of compost removes the impact of chemical pesticides and heavy metals, and it favors and enhances nutrient value which also controls the erosion losses.

It also saves a lot of money; I mean, who needs expensive and synthetic gardening additions when you have compost.

Any plant parent would love to receive environment-friendly compost so it might be a nice gift.

It is recommended never to burn the leaves to remove the pile of leaves.

Impact and circumstances dealing with composting

Agricultural practices are the base of any country’s economy and every human body. A sustainable and green living journey does not embark just upon energy resources for appliances.

The term ‘organic’ is still a marketing strategy to lure customers but isn’t it harmful to play games around health?

Any plant source achieves the highest nutrient power and quality level from the soil. There might not be accurate compulsions for the standard, but practicing compost is far better than choosing chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Why risk your life and soil’s health when you can opt for an environment-friendly option.

Compost not only showers various benefits on plants and soils anatomy and morphology but also secures the air quality.

Fall is the season that leads to heaps of dry leaves that land in municipal areas or are burnt, and both the processes are harmful to the environment.

Conclusion

During fall, excessive oak leaves might land in piles of black plastic bags and will be left unattended. Compost is the aid to a green future, enhancing the land and soil quality. Agro-economic practices can be well managed by sustainable practices using technology and tools.

The future lies ineffective management of the food cycle and kitchen garden. Lockdown has upgraded gardening and turned it into a profession rather than a hobby.

Finished oak leaf compost acts as a supplement for soil and an excellent path to choosing sustainable management.

It is a nitrogen-rich garden gold that improves the quality of human life by protecting and sustaining natural resources through environmental sources.

Leaves falling on the lawn are safe; composting oak leaves is a healthy addition to your plant’s life. Decomposition is a life-giving process with valuable nutrients. What are you waiting for? Mulch, compost, and share.

Yes, share-distribute-encourage the idea of utilizing leaves, recycling, and green living with the poetic season of oak leaves falling for you.