Oak Leaf Time

[Spine]

Don't forget, now is a good time for all you soft water people to get out there and collect your free Oak tree leaves before it gets too cold.

If you don't know what they look like you can Google for Oak tree Leaf images. When collecting look for a area that is less likely to have had chemicals used there(fertilizer etc.)

I like to store mine in a mesh laundry bag I got at the dollar store. I fill it about a 1/4 full with leaves then take it home and rinse them off with a hose. After rinsing I shake out as much water as possible and then spread the leaves thru out the bag and let them dry so they don't mold. I have a powerful fan I can use too speed up the drying process but if you just keep rotating the bag they dry pretty quick.

Once they're completely dry I hang my bag of clean leaves in my laundry room, they're ready when I need them.

 

[chriscoli]

Great reminder, and I love the mesh bag idea!

I have a willow oak in my yard. Willow oaks have unusual shaped leaves for an oak (and super cute acorns) and they're much smaller than your typical black oak leaf. I think the mesh bag would really help me manage them more easily.

I also saved some dead branches that fell from it during our latest windy storm.


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[spazmattik]

Not sure what these are but they are all over by my house now. Thought they would be cool cause they are so big

 

[thedavidzoo]

That is probably a sycamore leaf.

 

[lkelly]

Matt, that looks like a leaf from a Sycamore tree.

Does the tree have bark that looks like it is peeling at times and has "bare patches" of light gray? It depends on the maturity, but those leaves look like they came from one that's decent size.

As for oak leaves, there are approximately infinity minus one in my yard and woods. Free pickup for any and all people interested.

 

[mchambers]

For those of you who are wondering why one would want oak leaves, free or not, here are links to a couple of articles:

http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworld/shanesworld.php?article_id=409

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/all-the-leaves-are-brown/ (Everybody sing along!)

 

[Pat Kelly]

I always used to collect them when I was breeding some corys. They did great not only with the water but also a place for fry to hide.

 

[Becca]

I put together a garvage bag full yesterday. I am lazy and don't rinse, but also don't use pesticides or other stuff in the yard. Someday my laziness will probably get me, but all good for now.

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[JLW]

I have never understood why anyone spends money on "Indian Almond Leaves."

Oak leaves work just as well, and are not only FREE, but Made in MURICA!

 

[lkelly]

I have never understood why anyone spends money on "Indian Almond Leaves."

Oak leaves work just as well, and are not only FREE, but Made in MURICA!

Based on the sheer numbers I have, I'm fairly certain that some blew in from Canada.

 

[mchambers]

Good

Based on the sheer numbers I have, I'm fairly certain that some blew in from Canada.

Those would be "wild caught" oak leaves.

 

[Becca]

I have never understood why anyone spends money on "Indian Almond Leaves."

Oak leaves work just as well, and are not only FREE, but Made in MURICA!

Easy- when we realize we failed to collect enough oak leaves to last the year!

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[lkelly]

Those would be "wild caught" oak leaves.

And imports to boot!

No worries though, I have a bunch of F1s growing out.

 

[AquaStudent]

I literally went on a walk around the pond today to collect some leaves. It's past peak way up here but there's a lot of leaves. A lot of them. I mean a lot lot lot of trees.