I never found a problem in collecting literally hundreds of bags of leaves for years and spreading them around the yard (cold) for mulch. I lay them so thick that sometimes it's like walking on a feather mattress. I've never seen a bug in them or had a problem with bug eggs like fleas hatching. I'd say go for it! :-)

I agree, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I mulch with leaves every fall and haven't had any kind of diseases...and if there are any bugs, its not anything that isn't already out there (maybe a few spiders or something).

Thank you. Bags o' leaves spread on back yard!

If you water those leaves and peg them down under a plastic tarp they won't blow away and in Spring when you take it off you'll have some of the most beautiful soil you've ever seen. Earthworms favorite food is rotting leaves, so any leaves that remain will be leaf mold (very good stuff) and the rest will be earthworm castings (incredibly wonderful stuff). You just can't lose with leaves.

My DH runs 10 compost bins year round and uses a lot of leaves in them. He patrols several residential areas in fall that are heavily treed and lucks out when he runs across a team of workers cleaning up a yard. He takes the bags of shredded leaves and grass and they save a trip to the dump. Cheryl