How and Why to Compost Your Leaves This Fall

Chickens are excellent helpers for shredding leaves for compost and they add an extra source of nitrogen.

As we wave farewell to summer and enter the beautiful season of autumn. Leaves are starting to change colors, and soon enough they will drop, rendering the trees bare. Now is the time to start exploring the idea of composting!

Composting your leaves is a worthwhile endeavor for many reasons. It is nature’s best mulch. By composting now, you will be able to reap the benefits of your hard labor either this spring or next! It will also save you money on commercial fertilizers and protect the environment as well.

Compost is made up of organic matter. It serves as food for microorganisms, and keeps the soil in healthy, balanced condition. Do your part, and keep leaves out of landfills. Use them to improve your own garden instead! 

STEP 1: Choosing the spot – Regardless of experience, choosing the right spot to set up your compost pile might be the most crucial part. You will need to find a spot with a few key elements. It should be shady and moist, in order to allow for decomposition to take place, which is ultimately the breakdown of the leaves. It would also a good idea to set up a wire gate surrounding the compost area of choice, so that your leaves do not blow around.

STEP 2: Collect and shred your leaves – Leaves can be easily shredded with a lawn mower, but there are other options too - chickens! If you happen to have chickens, pile up your leaves in a contained area, and let the chickens roam on top. They will have the leaves shredded in a few days and will add an extra source of nitrogen.

This step is not to be overlooked. Shredding your leaves will help them to break down faster and prevent them from matting together. Matted leaves decrease the amount of water and air penetration, which in turn, slows the decomposition process.

STEP 3: Be Patient – Composting leaves is not a quick process, but your efforts will not go to waste! Hopefully by the time spring rolls around you will be able to spread your transformed compost around your garden as mulch.


TIPS: If you don’t want to do a leaf-only compost which is referred to as leaf mold, here are a few things you can try. Add lawn clippings and/or nitrogen rich sources (i.e manure, which works great). There are also many resources that can help guide you into becoming a compost expert.  So if you are interested in learning more about how to compost, I highly suggest that you set aside some time for more in depth research.

Article contributed by guest Garden Blogger Betsy Thompson.

Sources:
http://compostguide.com/how-to-choose-a-compost-site/
http://www.the-compost-gardener.com/composting-leaves.html#hard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-c5E2dtk0Q
http://www.gardeners.com/how-to/put-fall-leaves-to-work/5402.html
http://www.leaveleavesalone.org/Leaf_Mulching_Tips.html

Autumn Color: More Than Just Leaves

Clockwise from top left: New York ironweed, Tuskegee crapemrytle, Vera Jameson sedum, Aromatic Aster)

Autumn is a magical time at the arboretum. Cool breezes rustle the leaves as they transition to golden and garnet hues. Colorful, tree-lined vistas surround you. There is more to appreciate at the Arboretum in fall than just the trees, though. There are many flowering plants and shrubs that liven up the fall landscape. The Arboretum is a good place to visit if you're looking for some ideas to bring new life to your own garden this time of the year. Here is small sampling of what you will see blooming starting in September:

• Vernonia noveboracensis (New York ironweed): Ironweed is a 5-7 foot tall native plant that has clusters of pinkish-purple flowers. Look for it in the meadows in September. Ironweed is a favorite among pollinators. You are likely to observe several bees or butterflies on this brightly colored herbaceous perennial.

• Lagerstroemia 'Tuskegee' (Tuskegee crapemyrtle): The deep pink/nearly-red flowers of this crapemyrtle can be spotted in September in the Oak Allée. Later in the fall, the foliage turns red-orange. The mottled bark adds further visual interest. Lagerstroemia 'Tuskegee' is considered a small tree and can grow up to 20 feet tall and wide.

• Sedum 'Vera Jameson' (Vera Jameson sedum): Sedums are a must for the fall garden and come in many colors and sizes. I have several in my own garden. This variety near the Rose Garden grows about 10-12 inches tall, has blue gray foliage that deepens to a dark burgundy or purple, and blooms with reddish-pink flower clusters beginning in September.

• Symphyotrichum oblongifolium 'Raydon's Favorite' (Aromatic Aster): Asters signal that autumn is in full swing. Their daisy-like flowers can range in color from pinks to purples and blues. The aromatic, lavender flowers of 'Raydon's Favorite' can be found blooming near the Rose Garden in October. Like ironweed, asters are a great nectar source, so keep an eye out for butterflies and other pollinators.

As you walk around the Arboretum enjoying the crisp and invigorating autumn air, be sure to take notice of these flowers, as well as the trees. What other fall-blooming plants and shrubs do you see? Do you have a favorite?


Article contributed by Kristen Bower, Guest Garden Blogger for Morris Arboretum

Up On the Roof

Autumn is the loveliest season on the intensive green roof, in the aerial gardener's opinion. The grasses have matured, displaying seed heads that dance in the slightest breeze, held high above tawny foliage. Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low' glows crimson and copper, igniting the roof with fiery splashes. Keen eyed observers may spot standard dwarf iris cultivars blooming, such as citrine 'Prince Pele'. Spiky yuccas sport yellow and green striped foliage, striking a pose even after their September blooms have faded.

Bloomfield Farm Day presents a rare opportunity for the public to view the green roof. Free with admission, the roof will be the backdrop to this fun-filled day celebrating agricultural history, including demonstrations, animals, and live music. The Horticulture Center and historic Springfield Mills will also be open for tours. Find out more on our website.

Article by Louise Clarke, aerial gardener.
Photos by Louise Clarke (top) and Rebekah Armstrong (bottom).

Fall Color Favorites at Morris Arboretum

Autumn is one of the most popular times to visit the Morris Arboretum and visitors enjoy the vibrant display of color throughout the garden. Mid-October is a great time to begin your fall color wanderings through the gardens, returning whenever you can into November.

Be sure to explore some of our visitor and staff favorites:

• From Widener Visitor Center towards Gates Hall, between the small parking lot and the Orange Balustrade you will find Acer palmatum ‘Heptalobum’, one of the most outstanding Japanese maples for red fall color.  Continuing from there toward Gates Hall, you will see the incredible golden foliage of Princeton Gold Chinese witchhazel (Hamamelis mollis ‘Princeton Gold’).

• At the bottom of the Holly Slope, tucked behind the signature katsura-tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum), are several broad-leaved evergreens.  These are Camellia oleifera (tea-oil camellia), with its beautiful white flowers, and Camellia sinensis, the plant from which tea is made, with its small white flowers. 

• Around the corner from the Holly Slope is one of the most interesting plants for fall color, used as a hedge surrounding the Long Fountain, Lindera salicifolia (one of the Asian spicebushes).  This plant colors very late in the fall turning a variety of reds, yellows, and oranges, before the leaves fade to russet and persist through the winter.  

• Downstream from the Swan Pond, along the East Brook are several plants of a native shrub, southern blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum rufidulum) with burgundy-colored leaves and bright blue fruits that are attractive to birds. Behind these stands the majestic Engler beech (Fagus engleriana) with its russet-red fall color and leaves that also persist into winter.

• Surrounding the Engler beech are a number of small trees, including Stewartia pseduocamellia (Japanese stewartia) with beautiful bark, white flowers in June, and rich red-orange fall color; nearby is Parrotia persica (Persian parrotia) a medium-sized tree also with beautiful bark and leaves that start out with deep purple color before turning a mix of yellows, oranges, and reds. 

• Finally, along the path near the Mercury Loggia is a concentration of witchhazels, including Sandra vernal witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis ‘Sandra’), noteworthy for its red fall foliage.

These are just a few of the autumn gems on display at the Arboretum, with many more awaiting your discovery. Take the time to explore the Morris Arboretum this fall – you will probably see some old friends and no doubt discover some new favorites!

Acer palmatum 'Heptalobum'

Camellia sinensis

Fagus engleriana

Hamamelis mollis 'Princeton Gold'

Hamamelis vernalis 'Sandra'

Bald Eagles Spotted at Morris Arboretum

Photo courtesy of Ruth Pfeffer

Bald eagles have been spotted several times during the week of October 7 soaring over the Arboretum's wetlands. Adult bald eagles have dark brown bodies and wings with white heads and tails. Their legs and bills are bright yellow. Immature birds have mostly dark heads and tails; their brown wings and bodies are mottled with white. It takes young birds five years to get attain adult plumage. The bald eagle dwarfs most other raptors, including the turkey vulture and red-tailed hawk. It has a heavy body, large head, long, hooked bill and a 7 to 8 foot wing span. A bald eagle in flight holds its broad wings flat.

Morris Arboretum is sponsoring a trip to the Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River to see bald eagles. The eagles feed on fish as they come over the dam. The trip is scheduled for Tuesday, December 11 leaving from the Arboretum at 7:45 am. For more details visit online.morrisarboretum.org/classes or call 215-247-5777 ext. 125.

A Fall Tradition on Display...

A big 'Thank You' to all who came out for our Fall Festival this past weekend!

After a rainy weekend the sun is finally shining on our gardens and the weather is just right to come see a fall tradition at Morris Arboretum... The 5th Annual Scarecrow Walk! More than 30 creative 'crows await you along the Oak Alle. See if you can spot The Lorax or Strawbacca, or Rapunzel with her new straw hairdo. Make sure to snap a photo with these crazy cast of characters and vote for your favorite! The Scarecrow Walk is on display now through October 21. See you in the garden.