Mulch Those Leaves!

Leave Those Leaves Alone!

Nothing’s more beautiful than autumn leaves – until it is time to rake them. But what few people know is that you don’t have to gather up your leaves and send them to the municipal compost facility. In fact, recycling your leaves at home saves time and tax dollars, and will help your garden become healthier.

Shredded or “mulched” leaves simply left on the top of your lawn return valuable nutrients back into your grass and feed the microorganisms and worms that keep your soil healthy, just like a natural organic fertilizer. If you can, get a mulching mower (one fitted with a blade that chops leaves intosmall pieces) but any other mower works, too. Simply mow your lawn twice to ensure the leaves are properly shredded into pieces about the size of a quarter.

Most of the leaves will fall back into the grass and decompose, taking the place of commercial fertilizer. The wind will carry the rest into shrub borders where they will protect plant roots from severe cold.

The best time to shred the leaves is when it’s dry and you can still see some of your grass peeking through. If you have too many leaves, use the extra mulched leaves to cover bare soil in your garden, the flower beds and vegetable gardens, or simply use them in for your compost pile along with kitchen scraps and other organic material.

For more information about mulching leaves or other environmental issues affecting our community, send us an email.