This November is one for the record books. Normally, we have snow on the ground by now, but this year we have had average daytime temperatures in the mid 50’s with plenty of sunshine. Because of this boon I can get to one of the important chores at this time of year – collecting leaves to make leaf mulch.
I made some round wire bins out of galvanized wire to hold the leaves and have placed them in a couple areas of the garden. The bins are about 4’ feet tall and wide. I make leaf mulch the lazy man’s way. I toss the leaves into the bins and wait about a year for them to break down. The leaves can also be used as a dry component layered between your kitchen compost and grass clippings.
Or, you can follow this uneasy man step by step process. I think I am going to try it because the mulch will break down quicker and be ready to spread on my garden next spring. Click here
Raked leaves ready to be carted to leaf bins
Simple galvanized wire leaf bins
Rooting for Ideas 
My approach to leaf mulch this year is the really-laziest-man’s way… leaving the leaves where they fall onto the beds and in among the ivy ground cover (although we are getting most of them off the grass). The idea is for the leaves to break-up and decompose into the beds somewhat, then I’ll rake off whats left in the spring. What do you think? Per
Leaves really do take a full year to break down unless you use bonemeal of some other material to help break them down. I find in spring I don’t want them in the beds with the emerging spring bulbs and perennials- they tend to clutter the borders. Putting them on a vegetable garden might not be a bad idea. I have seen where people pup them in a bin like the one I made and use a weed whacker to shred them. By doing that you help break them down faster. The main point is that leaves are such a befit for soil composition and there is no use throwing them out.
That link you posted sounds like a lot of work. Next year after you have your chickens, put piles of leaves in their chicken yard for a few days. They’ll do the job of breaking them down and mixing them with, um, nitrogen for you.
I look forward to having the bonus of chickens.