Pittsburgh gardening guru explains how you can use the fall leaves to save money on your garden

While few among us actually enjoy clearing the blanket of fallen leaves from our yard, there are those who see it as a money-saving process. There can be gold in those leaves, and you don't have to be a hardcore gardener to cash in. The chlorophyll that gave them their summer green has drained away, revealing the colors of fall and sending the leaves down the path to decomposition, creating a nuisance in the process. "I do understand the power of leaves, and they should never go to the landfill," said Pittsburgh's garden guru, Doug Oster. Oster has been preaching for decades the power of leaves through composting. "It doesn't smell, it's filled with these great nutrients, and it just makes gardening so much easier," he explained. Also, makes it cheaper because you aren't buying expensive bags of fertilizer. Oster said those composted leaves can be used as a soil amendment. "You're using it as mulch," he said. "It's just a great way to get things to grow." The process begins with gather