Mulching Leaves vs. Bagging Leaves
By ProMatcher Staff
Should I mulch my leaves or bag them up?
There are many options when it comes to leaf removal. While many people choose to rake their leaves to the street, there are some other options available. You can mulch leaves directly into the turf with your lawn mower. If you have too many leaves in your yard, you may need to bag up leaves and haul them off the property.
Mulching Leaves
The Good:
• Nearly free
• Requires minimal effort
• No raking necessary
• Provides nutrients to the soil
• Leaves won’t take up space in a landfill
• Check out this video tutorial!
• Shredded leaves won’t kill your grass
The Bad:
• Not ideal for thicker leaves
• Time consuming for large yards
• May require a mulching mower
• Will need to mow over leaves more than once
• Not ideal for pine trees
The Bottom Line:
Mulching leaves with a lawn mower can be a very simple, easy alternative to raking or blowing leaves. If leaves remain on the lawn, the grass may stop growing or completely die. If you are going to mulch leaves, the shredded leaves should be very small (about the size of a dime). The leaves should be very dry as wet leaves will clog up the mower. If you have many large trees, you will need to run the lawn mower over the leaves several times over the course of the fall.
Related: How to Mulch Leaves Without a Mower
Bagging Leaves
The Good:
• Affordable
• No piles of leaves in your yard
• Biodegradable bags are available
The Bad:
• Can be labor intensive and time-consuming
• Have to rake or blow leaves before bagging
• Soil cannot benefit from decomposing leaves' nutrients
• Leaves will take up space in a landfill
The Bottom Line:
If too many leaves remain on the lawn, the grass will suffer. If you have a thick layer of leaves, bagging may be one of the only options. Unfortunately, you will need to rake or blow leaves into several piles first in order to make the bagging process easier. If you have a bad back, this can be a difficult process.
Related: Leaf Cleanup and Removal Costs
About the Author
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| ProMatcher Staff, ProMatcher
Orlando, FL 32803
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