Should you opt for raking or consider an alternative approach during the fall? This significant decision arises as the season unfolds. While we advise against leaving leaves unattended until winter, there’s an alternative – mulching! Discover how to determine the optimal choice between raking and mulching for both your lawn and your well-being.
Removing Leaves
What’s the necessity for removing the leaves in the first place? There are several ways in which the presence of fall foliage can have adverse effects on the overall health of your lawn.
A layer of leaves can hinder vital elements such as sunlight and air from reaching your grass, leading to its suffocation and eventual death.
The accumulation of leaves can retain moisture, fostering the growth of mold.
Additionally, leaves create a damp setting conducive to the flourishing of lawn diseases.
Raking
The traditional approach to clearing fall leaves involves raking and bagging, and it’s a well-established method for good reasons. Raking and bagging allow for the complete removal of leaves from your lawn, preventing the potential damage mentioned earlier—just be cautious not to leave your raked leaf piles unattended for an extended period!
However, the drawback of raking lies in the considerable physical effort it demands. Opting for mulching, on the other hand, enables your mower to share the workload.
Mulching
The primary distinction between mulching and raking lies in leveraging the natural benefits of fall leaves to enhance your lawn. Mulching mowers, or standard mowers equipped with mulching blades, can finely shred unwanted leaves into small, organically-rich particles that gradually decompose on your lawn. These fragmented leaf particles contribute valuable nutrients directly back into the soil.
However, there’s a catch—it’s effective only when leaves haven’t had the chance to accumulate heavily. To maintain manageability, it’s advisable to mulch multiple times throughout the fall season. If you delay, and a substantial layer of leaves builds up, they can still retain moisture and stifle the grass, even in small pieces. Moreover, the damp, compacted leaves may impede the efficiency of the mulching mower, potentially leading to the need for raking and bagging.