How to Mulch Leaves
By ProMatcher Staff
1. Use the right mower
Certain lawn mowers are designed especially for mulching. A regular lawn mower may not be able to shred the pieces to a small enough size. Although non-mulching mowers can get the job done, it may require several passes over the lawn.
2. Mow frequently
Don’t wait for a thick, unmanageable layer of leaves to accumulate. If you mow every few days, you can avoid raking and bagging altogether. You should mow when you can still see some blades of grass poking through the leaf layer.
3. No mulching mower? No problem
If you have a standard lawn mower, you can purchase a mulching blade to make shredding leaves easier.
If you don’t have a mower at all, you can mulch leaves with a weed whacker and a plastic trashcan. After the leaves are broken into smaller pieces, you can spread them on the lawn or you can bag them up.
Related Video: Mulching Leaves Without a Mower
4. Don’t forget the driveway
You can mulch the leaves that have fallen on patios, walks, and driveways and use them to fertilize garden beds or simply move them to wooded areas near your home.
5. Small pieces
Big leaves can smother your lawn. Make sure that the shredded leaves are about the size of dime so that water, air, and sunlight will still be able to reach your lawn. These pieces will breakdown much quicker than whole leaves.
6. The drier, the better
Wet leaves can be very difficult to work with. Dry, crunchy leaves are ideal for mulching, as they are brittle and easy to shred.
7. Spring Clean-up
If you still have leaves remaining on your grass come spring, you should rake them up and add them to your compost pile or put them in bags. Don't worry about the small pieces, but the bigger pieces should be removed.
8. Avoid mulching certain leaves
The leaf mulch of certain trees can actually stunt the growth of your lawn. For instance, you should not mulch walnut or eucalyptus leaves.
9. Winterize
Mulching leaves is not just a spring chore. It is also an important part of winterizing your lawn. The leaves will decompose over the course of the winter and come spring, your new plants can benefit from the added nutrients in the soil.
10. Too many leaves?
If you have too many leaves, you can rake or blow in combination with mulching. You don’t have to choose just one method of leaf removal. You can easily rake and bag up some of your leaves and mulch the rest of them.
11. Get the Pros to do it for you!
Related: Mulching Leaves vs. Bagging Leaves
About the Author
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| ProMatcher Staff, ProMatcher
Orlando, FL 32803
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