Does anyone know how to make a Leaf Bale -- I DO!!!!!

[MIKECOZ8]

I need some ideas/help with my freaking leaves --- I have 2 HUGE trees that dump enough leaves that fill over 30 large sized garbage bags each year --- it takes a crazy amount of time to get rid of them. One idea that popped into my head was find away to create a Leaf Bale --- I have used Hay Bales in the past to display my pumpkins and always thought if I could use all my freaking leaves it would help with the cleanup and be very useful with the display. Any ideas on how I would go about this or any other ideas on what to do. (in my village burning is out of the question)

[GUS]

a water & compression scenario?

Take a look at brick making mould sort of videos & get an idea up & running, could be alot of work for little result, however I have got a bowl made out of leaves thats survived use for 8 years to date.

[OrangeOrb]

Mike, I don't have a decorating idea, but those leaves are a great asset for you or anyone else who gardens. Run over them w/ a mower-that will reduce the volume a bunch. It doesn't even have to be a mulching mower.
Once they're shredded, you can use them for mulch, dig them into a garden, or let them rot over the winter and use them in spring. If you don't garden, maybe someone else you know who does would want them. Leaf mold is one of the best things you can add to soil.

[MIKECOZ8]

Mike, I don't have a decorating idea, but those leaves are a great asset for you or anyone else who gardens. Run over them w/ a mower-that will reduce the volume a bunch. It doesn't even have to be a mulching mower.
Once they're shredded, you can use them for mulch, dig them into a garden, or let them rot over the winter and use them in spring. If you don't garden, maybe someone else you know who does would want them. Leaf mold is one of the best things you can add to soil.

Crap --- now you are almost making me feel bad for calling them "freaking leaves" --- almost

[GUS]

I agree with feeding your soil, leaf mould is wonderful stuff & a well turned compost heap over a few seasons could turn your soil / tree's around in terms of soil based compaction etc, a good mulch around the trees would do them the world of good, ..after all you by tidying up the leaves are disturbing the tree's own natural process of rejuvenation.

However if it's a waxy leaf such as a laurel then that decay is slowed dramatically, & yes i'd certainly chose to accelerate the process regardless.
Burning it is wasteful, a good compost will help all sorts of bio-diversity.
look into composting accelerators maybe?

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

A leaf bale... interesting idea, and a good pumpkin display tool. Is such a thing possible? Not sure I've seen it done with anything besides hay.

[GUS]

*you could wreck a nearby cardboard baling unit ..checking it out for viability*

they tend to have banding straps too, that way you could get decent amount of pressure to compact it in a wedge of card to keep shape & form...

just an idea, though it needs to be damp to stick together...

[Chewy]

Hmm...

do you have any commercial fishing supply places anywhere near you?

If it were me, i'd go pick up a chunk of gillnet, spray paint it brown/black & try wrapping it & compressing it into some kind of an oval cross section bale.

[mechanik63]

you'd definitley need a mesh net or something like chewy is talking about to bale leaves, otherwise as soon as they started drying out it would begin to break apart. I know its cheesy but i use the pumpkin leaf bags this time of year and when its over hand them off to a few neighbors that compost for their garden.

[MIKECOZ8]

Today is the day --- thanks for the help and some ideas shared here were the spark that drove me come up with my leaf bale design -- once they are done I will post some pics

[MIKECOZ8]

If those Myth Busters guys ask -- Can you make a Leaf Bale -- the answer is YES.

Thanks to Chewy and mechanik63 for the sparks that put me on track
The combination of gillnet and mesh brought me to Chicken Wire and Chicken Wire is PERFECT for baling leaves.



I was able to make 5 12w x 20l x 12h Bales out of the 24in x 25ft netting
Took about 3 hours in total to make --- next year I will look to spray painting the mesh to get rid of the shiny-ness in the daytime - at night you can't tell what they are.






Quick peak of my 2011 display with Bales -- but am looking to add to it and will show the finished product over the weekend.

[CorpseBride]

That turned out great! Very cost effective and a good use of the leaves. If the world was half as creative as this there would be far less waste in the world. I really like the result and I can't wait to see the finished product.

P.S - Holy kins batman!! The look stellar.

[zombombie]

The bales look fantastic and all those carves?! Wonderful!! It looks great, is super effective, and so resourceful! Massive well done!

[amandap80]

WOW! That looks great, and a wonderful idea too. Bravo!

[mesmark]

Those look awesome. Well done. What a great way to use what you have and make what would have been thrown out work for you.

I look forward to a night photo.