Many people have posted that putting leaves in the garden binds up nitrogen, but like you I have often had piles of finely shredded leaves which break down much more quickly than whole ones. If you put the shredded ones in the soil in the fall, I think they are pretty well decomposed by planting time. On the years I have done this it really helps with the soil structure. I haven't done it the last couple years and now my soil is getting very dense, so I will try it again this year.
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Mike
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