Fall has officially arrived. This time of the year brings frosty mornings, sweaters, and leaves!
Guess what? By mulching leaves instead of raking them you can save time, while also naturally fertilizing and fighting weeds in your lawn!
Many people worry that mulching leaves will hurt their lawn’s health. On the contrary, mulched leaves will add natural fertilizer (phosphorus and nitrogen) and cover bare ground, which will stifle weed growth.
Just mow right over the leaves so the smaller pieces decompose more quickly. If you have more than a six-inch depth of leaves, some raking may be needed before mulching occurs. Just put those extra leaves into your garden or landscape beds to become beneficial compost.
Mulching those leaves also prevents clogged storm sewers or degraded water quality from the tannins in the leaves. The leaves offer some shelter for birds, snakes, and other critters, too.
