I'm asking if leave serve anything good to the lawn by not being raked up right away.?

Question

Leaves die and fall off the trees before the winter. Its usually the windiest time during the fall. As I'm raking I thought maybe leaves serve as a blanket for the grass during the winter snow. Maybe we're raking them too soon? Are there any nutrients in leaves benefiting the ground and grass? If left on the ground will they sufficate the grass? Anyone have any expert knowledge on this subject? :)

Answer 1

I live in northern Illinois, where you live may make a difference on how you treat your lawn.

You know, a lot depends on the leaves, type and how many, grass type etc. etc. Super heavy loads of leaves probably need to be picked up and not mulched in which is what I would recommend. In any case, you need to not let them lay matted on your yard.

I do not believe a heavy blanket of wet leaves lying on your grass is good for it. The best thing is, mulch the leaves with your mower using a mulching blade, I like Gator brand mulching blades.

A few passes over them and they will be quarter inch to half inch pieces which break down much easier, will not create a dangerous barrier over your grass and yes, they can then decompose and feed your yard. You will still see them right after mowing, but from across the street, your yard will look pretty neat and picked up. Come spring, those little pieces should have decomposed, free dirt and worm food and fertilizer, all in one.

I mow a one acre yard with lots of trees. I also maintain four other similar yards in my neigborhood and have made believers out of those neighbors.

I pick up nothing out of my yard, just mow the leaves with the garden tractor. The yard looks great, it's getting fed for free, building a layer of top soil, no kill off from thick mat of wet leaves laying there for months, good for the environment and it's the easiest thing to do. The only raking I do is to get leaves out of plants and landscape and into the yard where they can be mowed over.

No yard should be left wet, especially a blanket of wet leaves, it will harm the grass and promote various growth like fungus etc.

I like Jerry Baker's books on yard care, I call him the hippie gardener. Like anything listen to the advice of many sort it and use what you think makes the most sense. Jerry Baker is a advocate of always catching your grass. Not me. My yard is too big and I am too lazy. Mow frequently enough that you are removing less than one third of the length, mow it as tall as you can and still get a nice upstanding yard. The old, mow it high and let it lie, works for me. You can do your final mowing in the fall a little shorter if you like.

Most of what I have learned came from my dad, my own 25 years of lawn care. My neighbor is a professional landscaper and very meticulous, our yards look identical. I find we do basically the same things.

Spray broadleaf weeds in the fall. Put down a fall fertilizer blend. This is a fertilizer that promotes root growth, root structure helps your lawn to survive dry times. I dont EVER water either.

Spring, fertilize with a pre emergent crab grass killer. One other mid summer feeding. Once I started spraying a 2-4-d in the fall, I just plain never have weeds of any amount at all. It's fun to watch the neighbors with their fields of dandelions in the spring frantically trying to kill them. :)

I use Amine 2-4-D from Farm and Fleet, way cheaper than weed b gone. Spraying weeds when no rain is expected gets better effectiveness than applying a weed and feed dry product. Straight fertilizer is way cheaper than weed and feed too.

Now just to get everyone to stop raking and burning leaves, ughh, the smell at night is killer. Like right now. :)

You wont hurt my feelings if you think none of this is worth anything. My yard is better than it's ever been and I do the least amount of labor, no polution etc. I call that a win win.

Best of luck,
John

Answer 2

Heeeey, where have you all been the last two or three years?!? The thing now is to mow your leaves and let them add back into the lawn's soil. You can even buy special lawnmowers now with a mulch setting.

My neighbourhood does this every year and our lawns are green, green, green each spring and summer. We NEVER rake up the leaves unless we want to crush them and add to our gardens. But you have to mow each week before the winter rains and snows come along. :o)

Answer 3

I have found that if leaves are left on the lawn for any time they will damage the grass by blocking the sunlight. Especially if it's rainy and they get packed down.
Raking them or mowing them into mulch is a good practice.

Answer 4

fallen leaves dont hurt grass on lawn but nymphs/dragonfly do use for protection
best rake place either under bushes or in a container and turn into leave mulch/compost for spring and dig in to earth to feed soil

Answer 5

convinced, it extremely is too a lot, its over $2 hundred in accordance to acre. i ought to fee in accordance to acre at $sixty 5, for hand raking. yet, you should apply a rider and basically mulch to leaves proabably speedier. Thats alot of work.

Answer 6

Yeah, they're an eyesore

Answer 7

THEY ARE OK UNTIL SPRING