If you're wondering what to do with all those leaves that fall onto your lawn from the trees each fall, why not consider turning them into mulch or compost? All you'll need is some urea and a compost bin. Both of these items are usually available at garden centers or in department stores that have gardening departments.

Once most of the leaves have fallen, rake them all up into a big pile. Make sure the leaves are dry, and shred them. You can use your lawn mower, a leaf shredder or a wood chipper shredder, but you won't get good results unless the leaves are dry.

Your next step is to place the shredded leaves in your compost bin. Make a layer of leaves 12-18 inches deep, then add urea or glass clippings, if you still have any handy at that time of year. Top it all off with a small amount of water. Leaves should be damp, but not soaking wet.

Continue building up layers in the same manner, first the leaves, then the grass or urea, then some water. When you are done filling the compost bin, cover it with plastic sheeting or a tarp to protect the contents from the elements and to keep animals from getting into the bin.

Over the winter, you don't need to do anything to your composting material. At the end of winter or in early spring, around March, use a pitchfork to gently turn the composting material over. This allows the material to mix a bit and exposes the underside of the pile to the air. Then cover the bin again.

By the time you are ready to begin planting in the spring, your mulch should be ready to use. If you desire compost material rather than mulch, simply allow the material to compost in the bin for longer. The main difference between compost and mulch is the state of decomposition of the materials. Mulch is still in more of a solid state, while compost is more like nutrient-rich dirt. The choice is up to you and the requirements of your garden or landscaping.

Making compost and mulch from fallen leaves is easy and can be an enjoyable way to fulfill your gardening needs.

In order to shred your leaves for mulch, why not run them through one of those wood chippers shredders that you can buy or rent. Not only will these machines break up the leaves, but you can throw in all those dead branches at the same time for some terrific mulch to keep your garden protected over the winter.