Information on Removing Leaves from the Yard in the Fall

Once the harvest is in and the garden has been put to bed for the year, the gardening season still isn't over. It's not enough to winterize just the flower beds or vegetable garden; your lawn needs special care, too. Neglecting to rake the leaves off the lawn invites insect, disease and mold problems. Grass still needs sunlight in the fall, which those fallen leaves are blocking. Ignore them long enough, and those leaves will freeze into an impenetrable shield that blocks water as well as light. In the spring, those decomposing leaves will still be there when the snow melts. Not a pretty sight.

The best way to get rid of leaves is by mulching them right into the grass. Mow as usual, and then go back over it again to mulch the leaves into very fine pieces. Don't wait until the leaf cover gets too thick. You may have to mulch several times as leaves continue to fall. Another option is to rake them into piles with a wide leaf rake. Rake the leaves onto a tarp and haul it to your compost bin or to the curb, if your community recycles leaves.

Alternatively, you could mulch those piles of leaves and use it as an organic mulch in your garden beds. A 3-inch layer will help to insulate the soil to prevent freezing and heaving. In the spring, rake the decomposing mulch into the top inch or two to enrich the soil organically.