I have read that it is not a good idea to use whole leaves as a mulch because they get compacted and keep air from getting to the roots of plants. When I collect mulched leaves from my neighbor, it appears to me that maybe 50% (?__hard to judge!) of those leaves are still whole. So I'm wondering if it's still necessary to put them through my shredder again. I hate doing all that extra work if it's not necessary, but neither do I want to smother my plant's roots. I'm not interested in composting them for a long period of time, so don't bother suggesting it!! Any advice about this?

I have the same situation when I am out picking up leaves, often they are shredded really great, sometimes just shredded with a walk behind low powered mower...not so great, and sometimes not at all.
If the leaves are small to began with and don't tend to mat I am ok with that. Normally even the partially shredded ones work OK, but some of the larger leaves I do have to go ahead and shred them. Mostly if the mixture is already shredded to some degree I do ahead and use them as is, or I might mix in more of the shredded leaves with them to keep them from matting. So all I can say is the trial and error approach, try some and see how the plants react.
If I were just using them in the pathways I would not be too concerned about using large leaves that had not been shredded. I would just put some shredded ones over them to keep them from blowing around.

pinkruffles said:I hate doing all that extra work if it's not necessary, but neither do I want to smother my plant's roots.

I'm not interested in composting them for a long period of time, so don't bother suggesting it!! Any advice about this?

What plants are you looking to mulch?

Many shade plants evolved with the autumn foliage dropping on them...

And... there's always the option of expanding the size of your tree islands, or even better, connecting them.

After the Autumn leaves have had time to suffocate the turf, makes more room for desirable plants.

i would use as is. Of course, don't pile them right over the center of plants.. let their stems show. Then check now and then, see if you find anything that concerns you after a month.

pinkruffles said:I have read that it is not a good idea to use whole leaves as a mulch because they get compacted and keep air from getting to the roots of plants. When I collect mulched leaves from my neighbor, it appears to me that maybe 50% (?__hard to judge!) of those leaves are still whole. So I'm wondering if it's still necessary to put them through my shredder again. I hate doing all that extra work if it's not necessary, but neither do I want to smother my plant's roots. I'm not interested in composting them for a long period of time, so don't bother suggesting it!! Any advice about this?

I put leaves 12-16 inched deep over my potatoes every year, they are used to cover roses in the winter; by Sept. they are with rare exception two inches or less in depth.
Even this year with the drought, they were quite deep into August but when rains came they disappeared quickly.
I use as many Oak leaves as I can and they are the leaves that go away the slowest and they are also gone.

LEAVES are all a forest gets . So it seams they are good for mulching and growing plants . Spread them , compost them , do what you want with them . PURE organic matter what ever way you look at them .