Fall leaves may not compost much during the winter, but you can turn them about May 1. Fork the material from one bin to another, placing the drier outside portion in the center. Turn again in about 3 to 5 weeks for the final composting. The material should be ready by midsummer for mulching and sidedressing. A good mulch can reduce soil packing and washing, suppress weeds, keep the soil moist, regulate soil temperature, and add organic matter to the soil.
Mulches prevent loss of moisture from the soil by evaporation.
Moisture moves by capillary action to the surface and evaporates if the soil is not covered by a mulch. Sun and wind hasten this loss of moisture. You can reduce evaporation and control weeds by stirring the soil an inch or so deep, but plant roots cannot develop in this soil layer. A layer of mulch on the surface gives the same benefits and allows normal plant-root development. Energy from falling raindrops is dissipated on a mulched soil.