Saving the Leaves For Springtime

[joekingcorvette]

I mulch leaves with my riding lawn mower and later on when it gets cold I pick up the leaves that the wind bunches up in the corners of our privacy fence. I do not like to let leaves pile up because if we get a lot of snow it packs down on the grass and is difficult to rake up. I get it done in the fall and let spring green things up naturally.

 

[hrv]

I dont rake my leaves... I leave them and by spring they are dry and just crumble up after the first spring grass cut...

 

[BISCUT]

If you want a nice lawn, don't allow the leaves to cover your lawn all winter. Mulch them with a mulching mower into very small pieces. The remains will break down quickly and nourish your lawn. I wouldn't worry about nature's creatures, they have been and will survive fine without your help.

Right! I'm in a location with a little elevation (comparatively speaking) and some regular winds fall/winter. The wind seems to know just where I don't want the leaves and deposits them right there Every location is different but I've found if I do not get rid of the leaves my grass suffers all summer long. I wait until mid-November and do one last mow a little tighter than summer height and mulch them. No need to rake if you can mulch.

 

[wpod]

I compost the leaves in the manure pile the spread the manure / composted leaves on the grass .

 

[Mr_Luke]

I compost the leaves in the manure pile the spread the manure / composted leaves on the grass .

If I remember right we used to spread the leave onto the garden, or put them in the compost to break down until spring, then would place the composted stuff on the garden, and then roto till it into the soil. My folks grew great vegetables.

 

[Warstud]

If you want a nice lawn, don't allow the leaves to cover your lawn all winter. Mulch them with a mulching mower into very small pieces. The remains will break down quickly and nourish your lawn. I wouldn't worry about nature's creatures, they have been and will survive fine without your help.

Not to mention if you leave them on the lawn to long they will smother and kill the grass and cause weeds to grow

 

[53' Stude]

They say if you don't rake leaves in the fall, that the leaves on the lawn will make good habitat for things like moths that become butterflies, and for birds to get food from insects. My lawn isn't very big but I have a lot of trees here and for years I've raked all leaves before winter sets in.

Do you think I should save the leaves until spring for the benefit of insects and birds?
I feed the birds here most of the year.

I personally take my leaves, give them to neighbor with compost tumbler. They appreciate them by giving me tomatoes, hot and sweet peppers, etc

 

[SHOZ]

I usually mulch but have too many really. Already mowed twice. Today I rigged up my lawn cart with a 4x8 sheet of plastic to bring up the sides. It holds a lot of leaves. I'm dumping them over the pond bank to build up the soil.

 

[zray1]

I just mow the leaves into the lawn. Simple and quick. No plastic bags and storage to deal with.

Don’t know if it’s related, but my lawn looks the best fed on the street, and I don’t fertilize.

 

[PF52]

I live in the city, but in an older house in an older neighborhood so there are a lot of mature trees. If I didn't pick the leaves up they would be about three feet thick by the time it snows. I also tend to think leaving them there would block too much sunlight from the grass (which is already in short supply all summer long because of all the shade).

 

[SHOZ]

If you mulch then there is little need for fertilizing. But if you have a lot of trees that is natures way of restrict any growth under them thorough shade and leaf litter for the benefit of the tree. With nut trees the hulls and bark around here combine with the flood plain clay to form what is called black timber clay. The small twigs and bark are particularly effective in stopping any new grass growth I've found. Because of accumulation in the low spots and there must be some chemical released too as they decompose.