Oak has long been considered a gold standard when it comes to autumn leaf mulch—so, yes, they are safe to use. You can use whole oak leaves as mulch; eventually they will dry up and crumble. If you are able to borrow or rent a lawn mower or chipper or something to break up the leaves they will decay faster—but it’s not essential. You could also compost the leaves, although their decay will take a while (several months); this, too, could be hastened by shredding them first. If you can’t use them all make a compost pile somewhere on the property—or give the leaves away (or trade them for use of a mower!). Folks with azaleas and rhodos, even blueberry bushes, will appreciate oak leaves’ slightly acidic nature (these are acid-loving plants).
Oak has long been considered a gold standard when it comes to autumn leaf mulch—so, yes, they are safe to use. You can use whole oak leaves as mulch; eventually they will dry up and crumble. If you are able to borrow or rent a lawn mower or chipper or something to break up the leaves they will decay faster—but it’s not essential. You could also compost the leaves, although their decay will take a while (several months); this, too, could be hastened by shredding them first. If you can’t use them all make a compost pile somewhere on the property—or give the leaves away (or trade them for use of a mower!). Folks with azaleas and rhodos, even blueberry bushes, will appreciate oak leaves’ slightly acidic nature (these are acid-loving plants).
Hope this helps!