Again, you don't want a thick layer of leaves on your lawn. Some leaves can also carry diseases that may affect other plants in your garden, not just your turf. Pros and Cons of Mulching Leaves. But after the colors fade, the leaves fall and you're left with a mess of leaves on your lawn. Mowing leaves into tiny pieces on your lawn--also known as mulch mowing-- is healthier for your lawn and soil than piling or bagging them to be removed. Mow - Before taking the initial pass at your lawn, setting your mower to the correct height is crucial. The way it works is this: when you mow your lawn, both the leaves and grass clippings go into the interior chamber before getting chopped up multiple times, until they're fine enough to fall in between your grass blades and into the lawn surface. Colorful autumn leaves are one of fall's greatest pleasures.
Certainly, you don't want to leave a thick layer of leaves to smother the grass growing beneath. Most leaf mulchers are handheld types, looking like leaf blowers. Mulching leaves into the lawn reduces Dandelions by 60%, according to a study at Michigan State. Too many and you will form a thick layer of debris, stopping sunlight from reaching the roots. Mulching-in-place is an easy, save-the-planet alternative to raking and bagging leaves every weekend from October to December. That's why the first number in the N-P-K. on most lawn fertilizer labels is the largest. You'll know you're done mowing leaves when about half an inch of grass can be seen through the mulched leaf layer. After an intense winter, your lawn is probably looking less than ideal. First, you'll need to avoid mowing wet leaves.
Pine needles, which are acidic, may change the ph balance of your lawn if mulch mowed in large quantities, so consider using pine needles as a mulch around the base of pine trees. Plus, returning clippings to the lawn saves valuable landfill space. There's also the environmental consideration, too. By mulching leaves instead of raking, you treat your lawn to natural fertilizer and beneficial organic matter. With an added boost of nitrogen as the leaves decompose and time saved with mulching leaves as opposed hours upon hours spent bagging, mulching leaves is the best plan for cleaning up your yard in the fall.
Using a leaf blower, tarps, and committing to weekly raking sessions can help lessen the load, but it's still a physically demanding job. In that instance, it's important to understand that mulched leaves are not a replacement for your lawn fertilizer schedule. As leaves pile up in your yard, consider recycling them back into your lawn. Improved turf quality. Before leaves can be converted into mulch, they need to first be chopped or shredded. Using Other Equipment. Leave a thin layer of leaves on the lawn and mulch them using your mower. The best way to accomplish this is using something you already have: your lawnmower. Mulching leaves with a regular lawn mower. Well, I am happy to tell you that generally, yes! The nuanced answer is that you should mulch Autumn leaves and spread this over the lawn to get maximum benefits, without the disadvantages that come with leaving whole leaves heaped up over your lawn.
The best approach to mulching leaves with a mower is being proactive. Your grass will be greener, and soil microbes will work harder, when you feed your lawn after leaf mulching. Requires zero effort on your part. If you mow your own lawn, just keep mowing!
Feed Your Lawn To Speed Up The Process. Once a covering of leaves have fallen get out the mower sans bagger. Wet or frozen leaves basically will form a mat over your lawn when the snow comes down. The days are getting shorter, the mornings are getting colder and the trees are beginning to shed their gold and amber leaves. Save money on plastic garbage bags by opting for a more ecofriendly approach. If you have a landscaper, ask them to mulch mow your leaves. If you have many trees and just too many leaves fall for you to mow, collect the mulched leaves every other mowing and put them over your cleaned out vegetable beds. The chopped leaves will now be sucked into the bag were they take up considerable less space because of their smaller size. This means that the grass won't be able to make the food or sugars that it needs for nutrition. If you have any questions about this process or issues with your lawn, don't hesitate to reach out.
If you're still wondering whether should you rake leaves, look past your lawn. Leaves from ash or maple trees can be more difficult for mower blades to chop up. This process of frequent mowing can continue as long as the shredded leaves do not start to pile up on top of the turf and shade out the grass. It can take several months to see results, so a pile started in the fall may not be ready for use until summer. All types of leaves can be mulch mowed. Mulched leaves are decomposed by earthworms and microorganisms and turned into plant-usable organic matter. Mulched Leaves Become Fertilizer. The trees have given us so much during the summer, from shade, homes for wildlife, and the beauty of the changing of color with the seasons. Resources: Snappy's, Agway, Better Homes and Gardens). Adopt my goal of letting the leaf rake collect another layer of dust hanging in the garage this fall. What's more, too many leaves can actually create a matted carpet known as thatch. They can be used in other parts of the garden. You can shred them by hand, although that may be tedious if you have a lot of leaves. You should have 3 to 4 inches of leaf matter over your plants.
First, as winter is approaching, it's a good idea to avoid mulching leaves. A very common question I hear is, is mulching leaves good for the lawn? The availability of these nutrients increases the level of microbial activity in the soil and in turn, improves the health of the soil as a whole. Once or twice a week is ideal if you have large trees that are consistently dropping their leaves. Raking leaves is great outdoor exercise.
The good news is that all types of chopped leaves will be suitable to use as mulch. It's also best to shred fallen leaves as finely as possible. It's true that they will break down naturally, releasing nutrients into the soil. Too many mulched leaves can smother and kill the grass. Mulching whenever you mow your lawn, rather than bagging grass clippings, returns nutrients to the lawn, saves you time and effort and reduces landfill waste. This raises an interesting question. Other advantages include providing food for the beneficial microorganisms that keep your lawns foundation healthy, and improving the quality of your soil, both of which result in a more beautiful lawn. Remember, lawns only need 1 inch of mulch. Stand-alone mulcher.
Plenty of mowers with mulching capability are available on the market today. Furthermore, according to the University of Minnesota, too much shade during the colder months increases the risk of snow mold. It might also increase the amount of insect damage that is occurring. The Village of Irvington in New York says vacuuming, carting and dumping leaves costs the town over $100, 000 each year. They can then settle beneath the grass blades and into the soil. More From Popular Mechanics. The truth about holly leaves – interesting facts you might not know.
Large piles of leaves will become markedly smaller when mulch mowed. Hydrate - Typically we experience an increase in rainfall in the fall which contributes to improved growing conditions and lawn recovery after stressful summer conditions. Sometimes if left whole, leaves will take up to a year to decompose. — Obviously, power blowers help but raking or piling leaves is always a hard, labor-intensive chore. Shredding piles of leaves significantly reduces the volume of leaves. However, there's good news.