 Hi, my name is Jack LeCroy and I'm a regional extension agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and I'm going to be talking with you today about using our fallen leaves. Every year as the weather starts to cool, you will start to see bags and bags of leaves starting to line the curbs in many of our neighborhoods. One thing to remember before you reach for the trash bag is that our leaves can add nutrients back to our landscapes and our gardens. So how can we use our leaves? Fallen leaves are beneficial for soil improvement. We can use them in many different ways in our gardens. We can use them as mulch in different areas of our yard. We can use them on our grass and we can also use them in our compost bins. Mulching with fallen leaves is a great free way to inhibit weed growth, reduce evaporation, moderate soil temperatures, and also release valuable nutrients back into the soil. When mulching in the landscape, you can apply 3 to 4 inches around the base of trees and shrubs. In our vegetable gardens, you can use a thick layer of mulch in between rows for an all-weather walkway. Using fallen leaves as mulch in our vegetable gardens is a great way to inhibit weed growth. We can also incorporate shredded leaves straight into our garden soil. When thinking about our grass, a light layer of leaves can be mowed over and left on the lawn. Leaves can add those nutrients back into the soil that's vital for new spring growth. When thinking about our compost bins, remember to add fallen leaves. Leaves will break down with the correct ratio of greens and browns for great garden soil later on. Here are some helpful tips. If you have many deciduous trees, a mulching lawnmower or shredder will help with the leaves breaking down faster. Leaf breakdown has no significant effect on soil pH. If certain harmful diseases are known to be on a plant, don't incorporate those leaves. Also, waxy leaves like live oaks and magnolia leaves tend to break down slower. Shredding them first will help them break down faster. Try to think of creative ways to use fallen leaves in your garden this year instead of sending them to the landfill.