Why You Should Not Rake Those Fall Leaves
- 8 years ago
Raking up fallen leaves is often one of the time-consuming chores of autumn, but some experts suggest that homeowners should let them remain on the ground.
Raking up fallen leaves is often one of the time-consuming chores of autumn, but some experts suggest that homeowners should let them remain on the ground.
In a recent Washington Post article, Sam Bauer with the University of Minnesota's Department of Horticultural Science recommends against removal, stating, “The leaves have organic matter in them, [and] you're adding good organic matter to your soil when you're not picking them up.”
Instead, he suggests occasionally chopping up light debris with a lawn mower; dense coverage, where no grass is visible underneath, should be reduced by 25 to 50 percent. One option for the excess would be to be place it over a garden to decompose during the winter before incorporating into the soil during the spring.
In terms of the benefits, David Mizejewski with the National Wildlife Federation notes that “leaves form a natural mulch that helps suppress weeds and fertilizes the soil as it breaks down.”
Fallen leaves can also provide food and shelter to wildlife, and, if removed, it often ends up in landfills where it produces harmful greenhouse gases.
Nevertheless, there are some reasons to continue removing the leaves.
The debris can contain diseases, and a heavy covering could harm the grass on a lawn.
Raking up fallen leaves is often one of the time-consuming chores of autumn, but some experts suggest that homeowners should let them remain on the ground.
In a recent Washington Post article, Sam Bauer with the University of Minnesota's Department of Horticultural Science recommends against removal, stating, “The leaves have organic matter in them, [and] you're adding good organic matter to your soil when you're not picking them up.”
Instead, he suggests occasionally chopping up light debris with a lawn mower; dense coverage, where no grass is visible underneath, should be reduced by 25 to 50 percent. One option for the excess would be to be place it over a garden to decompose during the winter before incorporating into the soil during the spring.
In terms of the benefits, David Mizejewski with the National Wildlife Federation notes that “leaves form a natural mulch that helps suppress weeds and fertilizes the soil as it breaks down.”
Fallen leaves can also provide food and shelter to wildlife, and, if removed, it often ends up in landfills where it produces harmful greenhouse gases.
Nevertheless, there are some reasons to continue removing the leaves.
The debris can contain diseases, and a heavy covering could harm the grass on a lawn.