How to Actually Manage Fallen Leaves This Year
Every October, we get to enjoy beautiful fall foliage, and every November, that foliage becomes piles of dead leaves in our yards. What then?
For years, the standard was to rake every leaf into a garbage bag and send it to the landfill; however, that is far from the best way to manage fallen leaves. For one, leaves naturally break down, nourish the soil, and provide habitat for overwintering beneficial insects. Secondly... that is a lot of work.
In recent years, the phrase "Leave the leaves!" has come about, and it offers a great way to reduce your workload while benefiting your landscape.
So, Should You Really Not Rake at All?
In some ways, yes! When it comes to a thin layer of leaves on the ground, there is no need to rake leaves. There are many benefits to leaving leaves on the ground for the health of your lawn and soil, and for the natural environment.
Benefits to your lawn and soil
Fallen leaves provide essential nutrients to the soil when they decompose. This recycles the nutrients so the soil can be healthier come spring.
A thin layer of leaves can also act as a natural layer of mulch. This will suppress weed germination and provide insulation so that harsh freeze and thaw cycles do not harm your lawn.
Benefits to the environment
Leaving fallen leaves on the ground over the winter provides essential winter shelter for pollinators. In fact, the vast majority of native butterflies, moths, and bees do not migrate south over the winter months. Instead, they overwinter locally in the fallen leaves in the forests and our backyards.
When Raking Leaves is a Good Option
As stated above, you typically don't need to rake the leaves in your yard. However, when there is a wet, heavy mat of leaves on your lawn, it can cause damage to the grass below. In these cases, you have a few options as to what to do.
You can mow the leaves into a fine mulch, which will help them break down faster and reduce the weight. This is a quick and easy option to handle large amounts of fallen leaves; however, it does disturb and destroy overwintering insects that are beneficial for our gardens and trees.
If you do choose this option, even just leaving a small area of your yard with fallen leaves can help overwintering insects survive for the spring.
A better option is to use fallen leaves as mulch for any garden spaces or around the bases of trees. This provides natural and free mulch for the winter months!
At Gregory Forrest Lester, Inc., we adopt an eco-friendly approach to our operations. Our arborists prioritize tree health over removals and work to improve landscapes for safety, aesthetics, and the health of the overall environment.
