Fall Leaf Cleanup

With fall just around the corner, it’s important to have plan in place to tackle everything the change of seasons can throw at your home.

The one part of a fall you can’t overlook, is the leaves that will soon be covering your yard. If they’re not removed in a timely manner, they can deal major damage to the yard you’ve spent all summer caring for — plus a clean yard just looks better.

But saying you’re going to clean them up and actually doing it, are two different stories. So let us give you some motivation to help make this year’s leaf cleanup as easy and enjoyable, as possible.

 

Tools of the Trade

When the leaves finally fall, don’t go running to your shed thinking that your old rake is the only way to clear your yard – it’s not. There are a bunch of tools out there that can aid in the leaf clearing process, and many of you may already have them lying around your garage.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to tackle the fall leaves, a lawn mower with a bagging system or with a mulching blade, may be just the answer you’re looking for. If you have a small yard, we recommend using a mower with a bagging system to completely remove the leaves from your yard. If you have a larger yard, you may want to consider leaving off the bag and installing a mulching blade. Mulching the leaves into small pieces allows your lawn to still get the sun it needs while gaining nutrients from the leaves – it’s a win-win scenario.

If you don’t have a lawnmower, or if you would prefer to use your trusty rake, we recommend using a large tarp to help speed up the raking process. Simply rake all of the leaves into the middle of the tarp, then drag the tarp to your garbage can or compost pile for quick and easy disposal.

Lastly, if you’re the type that prefers to use something gas-powered for all of your chores, a yard vacuum or leaf blower may be the best option for you. One blows the leaves off of your yard, and the other one gently deposits them into a bag for easy disposal. Both of these are viable options for small to medium sized yards.

Clear Leaves Weekly

One of the biggest mistakes we see made with leaf cleanup, is waiting until all of the leaves have fallen to finally try cleaning them up. Don’t do this!

Due to the acidity level in leaves, leaving them on your lawn for long periods of time can cause your grass to yellow, and even die. Plus if your grass isn’t getting any sunlight, it will cause major problems in the springtime. Make it a point to clear your yard of leaves on a weekly basis using one of the methods/tools discussed in the previous section– you’ll save time and money in the long run!

 

Put Them to Use!

Forget dumping the leaves in garbage – they’re too valuable to be trashed. Instead, use them as compost and fertilizer!

Any gardener will tell you that leaves are one of the best materials to put in your compost pile. This is due to the amount of carbon contained in leaves—they quickly break down into useable nutrients.

The best method for preparing leaves for your compost, is to first use your lawn mower with a mulching blade to chop the leaves up into small pieces. Then, take the mulched leaves and lightly spread them across your lawn or dump them into your compost pile. Come spring you’ll have a compost pile that’s full of nutrients, ready to be used for all of your yard care needs.

 

 

We want to know which method you use to tackle fall leaves. Is it the high-tech leaf vacuum? Or the traditional rake and tarp method? Share your story and leaf clearing tricks in the comments!

 

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