Fall is the season of colorful leaves and slightly cooler weather, but it is also when leaves begin to fall and accumulate on lawns.
The vibrant leaves on the green grass is a wonderful sight. And then the leaves turn brown, raising the important question of whether to rake them up or leave them.
In this article we will discuss the benefits of not raking the leaves, the benefits of raking, and then some alternative ways to take care of leaves without raking and how all of these could impact your lawn treatment.
Benefits of Not Raking
Leaves contain nutrients that are necessary and helpful to a healthy lawn. They can become a great fertilizer for the grass while also allowing helpful bugs a place to hide from predators.
Allowing the leaves to remain on the lawn also prevents the harmful effects of burning them or putting them in trash bags that are then taken to a landfill and take up unnecessary space.
If you are going to allow the leaves to stay on the lawn it’s probably best to have a lawn treatment done before the leaves fall.
Benefits of Raking
A thick layer of leaves on a lawn will eventually kill the grass underneath because the grass cannot get the sunlight it needs.
Therefore, if you have trees that drop a lot of leaves it’s probably a good choice to at least rake most of them up. A layer of leaves can also trap moisture and become a breeding ground for harmful pests or mold or fungal diseases.
Any type of diseased leaves should be hot composted or buried to eliminate the threat of disease. If you have a composting area, the raked leaves can become nutrient rich fertilizer for future use.
In addition, raking up the leaves also clears the lawn of debris and makes it easier for a lawn treatment.
Alternative Methods
For many homeowners, raking or not raking is not the question because they do not have the time or energy for either option.
Mowing the lawn with a mulching lawn mower may be the answer. The mulching lawn mower will dice up the leaves and allow them to sift between the grass blades distributing their nutrients.
Another option is to use a leaf blower. Choose a place to have the leaves compost and then use the leaf blower to blow the leaves into that area.
It’s best to wait for a dry day as well as dryer leaves because then the leaf blower will be more effective in moving the leaves.
Either option works well as preparation for a lawn treatment because the lawn will be clear of excess debris.
Preparing for Lawn Service
The experts at Gecko Green recommend that you clear your lawn of debris, so it’s a good idea to rake or leaf blow your yard before the lawn treatment occurs.
If you still have more questions about your lawn and what you need to do when preparing for a lawn treatment, give us a call and we’d be more than happy to help you understand how to prepare for your upcoming service!
