On Leaf Thievery

But then again, it's not stealing unless someone's complaining.

I should have had the common sense to know this, but smaller (or "crunchy" and easy to pulverize) leaves are better for urgent garden conditions, as they decompose much faster.

I have been getting bags of larger and more durable leaves of narra (they smell so good) from subdivisions. As I observed them still whole many months later, I decided that next time acacia leaves would be ideal, as they are smaller and are easier to decompose.

But ipil-ipil leaves are even better. These nitrogen fixers are fast-growing and considered as a pest by many who are trying to "beautify" wasteland-like situations (or, most lawns and all that) with ornamental plants. Essentially, the land is asking for these many-seeded, leaf-shedding, supersprouters to colonize your land because it doesn't have enough biomass.

Recently, me and the partner in crime went scouring the areas for leaves and old construction material. Aside from lots of marble and colored glass, we were able to harvest ipil-ipil leaves that should turn into soil even faster, now that it's raining.



It was also a good day for stealing seeds, such as this Manila palm bunch.