Expert: Put your autumn leaves in a composter

Greenhouse owners and gardening enthusiasts may be wondering what they should do with the mounds of leaves that have accumulated on their lawns this autumn.

According to gardening columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer Michael Mills, it is not ideal to let the leaves stay on the lawn as certain areas will become swamped in matter.

Mr Mills writes in the publication that gardeners and greenhouse owners will see better results by breaking down the leaves before composting them.

"The way to get usable compost soonest is to shred or grind the leaves before they go into the compost bin or pile," he explained.

He added that tearing them up and then adding grass is likely to lead to them being broken down at a faster rate.

Meanwhile, one high-profile face who approves of the use of composters in gardens is the former Gardeners World host Monty Don.

He wrote in the Daily Mail earlier this year that household waste such as food scraps, paper and even old socks can be used in the process.