In the fall we tend to get rid of all of the leaves that fall to the ground in our yards and gardens. The leaves are actually natures best fertilizer. - Just think, for millions of years there was no chemical fertilizers only the natural
nutrients provided by nature. If you rake up your leaves and mulch them into a fine mixture and then cover your planting beds with a 2-4 inch leaf mulch layer thenyou are providing most of the nutrients that your plants/grass needs. This also goes for turf grass, lawns, if you would mow in a layer of the leaves onto the lawn in the fall and leave it there much of it will be broken down by spring and the remainder will continue to break down over the year as the new grass grows through it and covers it up. Natural fertilizer. The recommended amount is 2-4 inches per year for a healthy soil. The broken down leaves provides the food for the beneficial soil inhabitants - bacteria, fungi, nematodes, worms, etc. that in turn break down the nutrients and provide the nutrients to the roots of the plants.