What a great idea and exactly when I needed it. I live in a subdivision here in south Texas and I only have one tree so leaves are at a premium for me. Now I have a solution!

Awesome. Let us know how it works out for you!

I was just outside bemoaning the fact that once again I have run out of pine shavings, just when I could have used some. I'd put compost around some new daylilies and a few other places and wanted a light cover for it. Shavings would have been perfect but all gone (third time I've run out since writing this article, by the way. ) I used leaves instead, of which we have an abundance here, but it was clumsy and awkward and just somehow not as satisfying.

When you use these, make sure you compensate for all that carbon with something nitrogenous. I use alfalfa pellets, or manure, or as in this situation, compost.

BarbaraSATX said:What a great idea and exactly when I needed it. I live in a subdivision here in south Texas and I only have one tree so leaves are at a premium for me. Now I have a solution!

Kellar's on the eastside has pine shavings in bundles, but a better mulch is to use Live Oak leaves, and there are plenty in Bexar County.

I agree! If you've got a good supply of leaves, that's a better way to go. There are times and places where leaves aren't that available, so the shavings are good to have around. Plus, being smaller than leaves, they're a bit more manageable in some situations, I find.