Leaf Mulcher Test & Application in the Home Garden 

I have a small 20 inch mulching mower with a bagger. I've used it to mulch countless bags/piles of leaves over the last 3 years. Still running strong and cuts grass like a champ.

I'm using a battery powered mower with mulching blade. Can't really afford a new one. How did your mower die from mulching, air filter clogged caused dust contamination?

@@troyyarbrough what brand/model of mulching mower are you using?

@@Cici1791 It's a Troy-Bilt push mower with a bagger. I don't know the model because the information sticker has been gone for years. I know it was made in 2018 and has a Briggs 140cc engine.

@@troyyarbrough Thanks for the info and quick reply!

I'm so glad you've enjoyed yours! I did forget my eye protection but a few seconds in I knew I had to stop and get it!

Great tip, thank you! Agreed on the hearing and eye protection.

I also use my Toro blower/shredder, but it takes much more time than this one seems to. I shred it 3 times and get really small leaf bits. But am starting to look for a faster/larger machine.

Pop up bag works just as good as trash can and is more easily moved

@@juliandarch9278what’s a pop up bag?

A material bag that has a metal coil woven into the fabric so it pops up when you release the catch, hence pop up!

Not for me. I’m wearing air pods and thought I had a fly in the house. 😄

Hope you enjoy it!

Thank you, Pam! You're so kind!

I also wondered why it was necessary to shred the leaves in the first place. I know if will speed up the decomposition process but I don't see why that is important.

Much quicker also.

Can you tell us about your stick mulcher? What brand is it?

@@lorr.jones8887 it's great for the small branches up to 1 3/4". It's an earth wise brand, Amazon $169.99 and I have a leaf hopper mulcher too.

I tried that one year and it was a complete failure. I later learned it was probably because I had the wrong type of weed eater because I know others that use it with no problem. To answer your question, I'm not sure that it would work with other material than leaves. I didn't try it, but I fear it probably wouldn't.

If you want to make a shredder that will handle the stiffer stems and stalks, including corn stalks and squash vines, keep your eyes open for a cheap used push mower. Drill/ cut a 2" hole in the deck opposite the discharge opening. Cut a piece of 2 inch pvc pipe about 18 inches long and secure it over the hole for a chute. Secure the pvc with 3 angle iron braces and short 1/4 " bolts with lock nuts and flat washer on both sides. It works great, just keep your blades sharp. Good luck. :) as far as using the weed eater for mulching leaves, i did that too, just use the thickest line you can get that fits, i use .105 multi edge(star shaped) in mine and it will decimate a squash, melon, pumpkin and anything else that didn't get picked and preserved.

you are putting micro plastics into your end product with the weed trimmer method...Also, I believe the device shown in this video uses a string cutter too and is doing the same. A mulching lawn mower is probably your best at home method.

If you have a mulching mower, that would be ideal. But our mower just scatters everything out the the side, making it impossible to catch without a bag (which we don't have, either).

We dont have a mower or room for one but if we did, yes that is a easy way to do it.

I have same mulched.Dosen’

I have found that to be more of a problem when they aren't shredded.

They break down into the soil, helping the tilth and structure, besides providing nutrients. They're also loved by earthworms, so overall the soil is healthier in the long term.

I use straw on occasion but prefer leaves and wood chips.

I avoid shredding when the leaves are wet.

That is what I was thinking.

Yes, I wouldn't put fresh leaf mulch directly in the garden. Compost it mixed with other organic materials for a season and the acid will break down. Oak leaves actually are very high in nitrogen and better than cow manure for adding nutrients to the garden (as compost :)

Since I've never used un-shredded leaves, I can't compare by experience, but I believe it definitely does.

I have a small, old, garden plot that is now in full shade. Not so good for growing veggies anymore... 5 years ago I turned that space into a LEAF ONLY compost pile. We have several Live Oak trees that shed their leaves throughout the year, so we always have waaaay too many leaves. Live Oaks have very, very thick leaves, they are small in size, yet super thick & leathery. They aren't even any fun to walk in, and crunch the leaves under your feet, bcuz they just don't crunch that way! However, I know have THE VERY BEST COMPOST Nature provides!! It only takes 4 simple ingredients: ▪︎Leaves ▪︎Shade ▪︎Water & ▪︎Patience That last ingredient is something you're going to need A LOT of too!! Bcuz it DOES take a lot of time. Left alone, those Live Oak leaves in my yard will take up to 4 or 5 years to decompose. Yep. The forest floor takes a looooong time! But, like you, I have mulched those leaves with both the lawn mower, and a leaf blower/vac that does the same thing your leaf mulcher does. Since I cut those leaves up into very tiny pieces, the process of making leaf compost has been CUT IN HALF!!! It now only takes about 2 years to make compost! Which sounds like a long time, I know. But really, I never did any work after dropping those leaf pieces into that spot. Plus, considering how thick my leaves are, and how that has has cut the composting time in HALF, that was time well worth waiting for!!! I don't know how thick your leaves are, but if they are the super thin leaves, and then they were cut into very small pieces, I would expect you to have fully composted leaves in one full year! Which would be AMAZING!! The main reason this process takes longer than a "regular" compost pile is bcuz there is no nitrogen component in the compost pile. This is why I like to throw a handful of worm castings into the mix every once in a while. That source of nitrogen helps it break down a little bit faster. I also use freshly cut up leaves as a ground cover to mulch my plants with. It works great! It does keep the soil cooler, which the garlic really needs here in the South! Leaf compost, which is also called leaf mold, is one of the best types of soil ammendments that can be found anywhere. And you now get to have it for free! (basically...) Just keep your compost site in the shade, and give it plenty of water! You'll be soooo very glad you did! Oh - and if your using city water to keep your mulch piles moist, be sure and get a filter to remove the chlorine, or worse yet, the chloramine from the water. If you don't filter it, each time that water hits the compost pile it will kill the natural microbes in the pile. Those microbes are what break down the leaves into future soil. The compost pile won't "work" without them. And the composting won't work without moisture either. So - clean water only! I look forward to watching your garden, and compost grow! 💚 💚 💚 💚 💚 💚

@@gardengatesopen : Thank you so much for your helpful hints.

Amazon. The link is in the description.

It's not quiet, of course, but I didn't feel the need to use ear plugs like I do with a lawn mower and weed eater, if that gives you an idea.

All I heard was music while she was feeding leaves. It was pretty loud.

A few small branches were still attached to the leaves. I'm talking thin sticks (1/4") with varying lengths. The longer ones tended to get stuck. The small ones I figure just slid through but probably weren't shredded. So I'd say no, it's probably not best suited for thin branches.

@@thebeginnersgarden thank you for the information 🙂

It's not quiet, but I had no need for hearing protection like I would with a regular lawn mower or weed eater. I'd say it was definitely quieter than those.

Some of the leaves at the bottom of my bag were a bit wet from a recent rain, but for the most part they were dry. I don't think it would work with saturated leaves, but a few didn't seem to be a problem.

60 is a good price. They are usually around 100 at either Farm and Fleet or Fleet Farm by me.

The base comes apart from the top so the entire unit nests together. Probably need about 2.5’ diameter area and only 18” height (I’m estimating).

Lol

Ya i blow them into a pile and run over them with my bagger mower.

Not in my area. Just saw one at Fleet, 168.00 They run the price up and down seasonally, its been down to 89.00 but this recent price is the highest i have seen in years.