Fall is here, which means many families are spending their weekends in the yard armed with rakes, leaf blowers and garbage bags. But there's a growing push to "leave the leaves" — that is, skip bagging up fallen leaves and leave them on the ground over the winter instead. Why? There are a lot of reasons that benefit plants, animals and the natural landscape.
First, the most obvious reason: Raking leaves into plastic garbage bags and sending them to a landfill creates huge amounts of unnecessary waste — including plastic that doesn't biodegrade. That contributes to greenhouse gases that warm the climate and harm the environment.
In this article: WORX 13 Amp Electric Leaf Mulcher, Greenworks 40V 16in Push Lawn Mower and EGO POWER+ 21" Cordless Electric Lawn Mower
But that's not the only reason you should skip raking your lawn.
Another reason is that leaves aren't trash — the cover on the ground provides a natural home for small animals that need it to survive the winter.
"Removing leaves also eliminates vital wildlife habitat," said National Wildlife Federation naturalist David Mizejewski. "Critters ranging from turtles and toads to songbirds, mammals and invertebrates rely on leaf litter for food, shelter and nesting material. Many moth and butterfly caterpillars overwinter in fallen leaves before emerging in spring."
The idea that leaving leaves on your lawn will harm the grass is a misconception, according to experts. In truth, leaving fall leaves behind can help your lawn thrive.
When you let leaves decompose as nature intended, they break down into natural mulch, which is great for plant growth. It provides nutrients for the soil that will feed your lawn next spring. Just make sure not to leave a thick, soggy layer of leaves over your grass; that can block sunlight and trap moisture that encourages disease. If you have too many leaves, put them to good use in your garden beds or compost piles instead.
That's not to say fall is now lawn-maintenance-free. There are still some things you can (and should) do to help set your yard up for success next spring.
First, the leaves will make more effective mulch if they're chopped up into smaller pieces. For this, experts recommend running a lawn mower over them without the bag attachment. Some lawn mowers even have a mulching attachment added for this purpose
WORX 13 Amp Electric Leaf Mulcher
This corded electric leaf mulcher has a 13-amp motor and a blade-free cutting line system that reduces leaf volume quickly and easily to keep your grass healthy when you have too many leaves. It processes up to 53 gallons per minute and folds down for storage.
Greenworks 40V 16in Push Lawn Mower
For a light sprinkling of leaves you choose to mulch, this compact, 16-inch mower has a two-in-one setup for either mulching or rear bagging. It's powered by a 40V 4.0Ah battery and comes with a charger.
EGO POWER+ 21" Cordless Electric Lawn Mower
This mower gives you more choices as leaf cover changes over the season. It can mulch a light layer, bag up your clippings or shoot them out the side for a more eco-friendly option. It has seven adjustable cutting heights, LED headlights and a folding design for easy storage.
American Lawn Mower Company 1204-14 14-Inch 4-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower
If your yard doesn't tend to have too many leaves, you could use a hand mower, which is more environmentally friendly and saves on costs.
Manpower Commercial Mulching 2-Blade Set
It is also an option to purchase blades specifically made for mulching leaves, like this two-blade set. Be sure to purchase the blades made for your model of lawn mower.
You can also rake the leaves into your garden or flower beds (or anywhere else that could use extra mulch). It's a good idea to spread the leaves around to avoid deep spots that might smother parts of your lawn.
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The head of this garden rake is made of high carbon steel and features an anti-rust coating, so it should last you many seasons. It also has nonslip grips to make the process a little easier.
Oliynedy Adjustable Metal Leaf Rake
Move thick piles off the grass without hauling them away with this adjustable rake. Its metal head widens from 8 to 17 inches, so you can reach between shrubs or cover more ground while raking the lawn. Its handle also adjusts, and it collapses for easier storage.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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