Caring for the Yard in the Fall

There are a number of reasons why leaves should be removed from your yard in the fall. A thick layer of leaves left on the lawn can block the sunlight and prevent the grass from photosynthesizing the carbohydrates it needs to survive the winter. A hard freeze can also create an icy barrier that prevents moisture from reaching the underlying grass. By spring large areas of the lawn could be dead or dying. Many insect pests and pathogens also hide in fallen leaves, close to the plants they feed on during the active growing season. By removing fallen tree leaves, as well as dead plant foliage, you will be reducing the number of pests and diseases your plants have to contend with the following year.

Either rake the leaves up and put them on the curb, or mulch them into the lawn with a mulching mower. A side-discharge mower will also work but won't cut the leaves into as small of pieces as a mulching mower. A long-term study done at the University of Michigan has shown that mulched leaves will settle to the ground between the blades of grass and decompose without any harmful effect to the lawn.

Another environmentally-friendly option is to rake the leaves together, then run a mulching mower over them, and use the resulting mulch as a soil amendment in your garden beds. By spring the mulch will have decomposed into compost and can be worked into the soil when you begin planting.