---
title: "Fallen Leaves Make Free Soil Conditioner: How to Turn Them Into Leaf Mould"
description: Turn fallen autumn leaves into free leaf mould in bin bags or a wire cage. Which leaves work best, how long it takes and how to use it.
author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2026-10-28T22:27:12.127Z
updated: 2026-10-28T22:33:29.888Z
canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/how-to-make-leaf-mould
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/unsplash-o6n9rv2rzx8.webp
categories: Home and Garden
content_type: Guide
region: Global
publication: Rich Dad Magazine
access: members
schema_type: Article
---

Each November, gardens fill with leaves, and many of them end up in council garden waste bins. They are worth keeping. Fallen leaves break down slowly into leaf mould, a dark, crumbly material that improves the structure of any soil, holds moisture around roots and makes an excellent mulch. It costs nothing to make.

Leaves rot differently from [kitchen compost](https://richdadmagazine.com/article/re-purpose-orange-peels-into-garden-gold-a-simple-secret-for-thriving-plants). Fungi do most of the work rather than bacteria, so the process is cooler and slower, and you keep leaves in their own pile rather than mixing them into the compost bin.

## How to make it

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