Speeding Up Leaf Decomposition on a Large Property

With five acres of hardwoods, you're blowing leaves daily. To accelerate breakdown: first, shred leaves with a mulching mower before blowing them into piles—smaller pieces decompose faster. Every time you accumulate a 6-inch layer, mix a tablespoon of water-soluble fertilizer (like Miracle-Gro) into a gallon of water in a sprayer and wet the pile surface. The added nitrogen feeds fungi that break down carbon-rich leaves. It won't make piles vanish overnight, but it helps.