Do You Really Need To Rake All Those Leaves?

Yes! Excessive leaves on your lawn going into winter is bad for several reasons. Here's why–

Grass Smothering
When leaves blanket your lawn, they deprive the grass of sunlight, a key component for photosynthesis. Even in the cooler months, your lawn benefits from the sunlight it receives to maintain its health and prepare for spring growth.

Inhibited Spring Growth
A thick layer of leaves can create a barrier that prevents air circulation, water penetration, and sunlight from reaching the soil. This can stunt your lawn's ability to wake up strong and healthy when the growing season begins.

Increased Risk of Snow Mold Diseases
Snow mold thrives in damp, insulated conditions, which are often created when leaves are left to pile up on the lawn. The mold can damage your grass and delay its recovery in spring.

Turf Damage from Critters
Piles of leaves provide a cozy habitat for critters like voles, mice, and other rodents. These animals can cause significant damage by burrowing and feeding on your turf throughout the winter.

Here are 4 options to clear out the leaves on your lawn:

1. Rake them up – compost the leaves or dispose of them.
2. Use a blower – compost the leaves or dispose of them.
3. Use the bagging attachment for your mower – compost the leaf/grass mix or dispose of it.
4. Mulch the leaves with a mower (i.e. chop them into small pieces so they will fall into the canopy).
   This is my preferred option because the nutrients and organic matter benefit the lawn and soil.  Some leaf types have been shown to reduce weed seed germination when mulched into a lawn canopy (maples, others).  The leaves of some particular tree species (legumes like honey locust, others) might actually add a significant amount of nitrogen to lawns because these species fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, so higher leaf nitrogen contents in these leaves is possible.