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We have a lot of oak trees on our property. Is there anything we can do with the oak leaves? They never really seem to break down, and because of that, I am afraid to try and add them to a compost. Are they useful in composting at all, or should I keep them out of any mix I make?

When I rake them, I have been chopping them with a leaf blower that breaks them up so I can fit more into a bag. I am not sure if that makes them more useful. I'd like to use them if I can, but if it's not wise, then I'll not try.

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4 Answers

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Everything is compostable, even you! You're right, you ought to chop them up before trying to compost them, you also need to add some dirt and maybe grass clippings to your compost in order to convert the leaves into compost.

I'm pretty sure dried oak leaves do not offer a lot of nutrients to your compost, but another thing you could do after chopping them up is till them into your soil or use them for mulch, if they never break down, that's actually a good thing!

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Yes they sound like they should make excellent compost. If there are a lot, mix them with some other stuff like veg waste/peel or grass clippings. To me oak is classic forest leaf litter - both in Yorkshire and Texas! – winwaed Jun 16 '11 at 13:46
Good to know, thanks! I still rake up leaves from last year, they always seem like plastic in that they never break down in the yard so I was not sure about compost. – MichaelF Jun 16 '11 at 13:56
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I have five big oak trees in my front yard. I've been very successful at composting the leaves (along with other materials). I save the leaves in the fall by raking them into a big pile and letting the kids jump on it to break them up some, then gradually add them to my compost throughout the rest of the year when I need some carbon. – Shane Jun 16 '11 at 13:57
Fatty stuff is not compostable, at least with redworms. They don't like fat stuff. – Stefano Borini Nov 22 '11 at 20:57
up vote 13 down vote

I've made a special pile for leaves. It's helpful to contain it, at least at first, to prevent them from blowing away and making a mess. I just took a length of wire fence and turned it on itself to make a circular "pen" for the leaves.

It takes them much longer to break down than regular compost (at least a year, probably two), but the end result is leaf mold, which is a low-fertility soil improver. You can mix this into your garden beds to improve the soil structure and add organic matter without adding a lot of nutrients. Earthworms love leaf piles; when I turned a big pile (1/2 sq yd or so) into my garden this spring I imported tons of worms along with it. The chopping that you're doing will help the process along.

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up vote 5 down vote

One good use for oak leaves is as an overwintering blanket for tender plants. Unlike maple leaves which tend to lie flat and create an impermeable sheet, oak leaves curl. With enough of them and a tomato cage, you can make a nice blanket which will protect your plant from the desiccation of winter winds

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Just a note, for all you who happen to have acidic soil: Oak leaves are very acidic so I would avoid using them if that is a concern.

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Almost all leaves and most organic matter is acidic. Indeed, as indicated in a study of the pH of Freshly Fallen Leaves, sugar maple leaves are often more acidic than most pine or oak foliage. If your soil is clayey, loamy, or limestone based, your soil soil is well buffered and adding organic matter will have no effect on your soil pH. Very sandy soils and potting soils are often poorly buffered, so adding acid organic matter may have some effect on pH. – Eric Nitardy Jun 11 '12 at 21:57

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