Autumn leaves can form a pretty carpet of color across the lawn, but leaving them there may hurt the grass as then leaves get matted down by rain and snow. Thick layers of leaves block sunlight, which weakens the grass, and when the layer of leaves starts to mold, it can make the lawn grass mold and rot as well. There are several ways to get fallen leaves off your lawn and put them to good use.
Mowing Leaves
If leaves only cover about 10% to 20% of the total lawn area, you won’t have to rake them up. Instead, mow over the leaves a few times until the leaf pieces are about the size of a dime. This is easiest when the leaves and lawn are dry, so the leaves will break up easily instead of sticking together.
Mulching mowers are the best tool for this job. They’re designed to chop grass into smaller pieces that decompose easily, and this is essential when turning your fallen leaves into a simple mulch for the lawn. Chopping up yard waste like this instead of removing the leaves also helps feed the lawn as the chopped leaves decompose.
Blowing and Vacuuming
If more than 20% of the lawn is covered in leaves, you’ll have to 
gather the leaves up to keep them from clogging mowers and smothering the grass. Rakes work for small yards, but if you have large areas to cover a blower or vacuum makes the job easier.
Handheld blowers are a good choice for homeowners who want something lightweight and easy to use. They are usually quieter than larger blowers. Backpack blowers are more powerful and heavier, but since the weight is distributed across your shoulders they’re easier to work with for long periods of time if you have a large yard or work on multiple properties. We also carry wheeled blowers.
Blowers are often accused of being too noisy and generating too much air pollution, but the newer blower models are starting to eliminate these problems with noise reduction systems and green engine technology. Check product specifications for each blower to make sure they’re quiet enough if you live or work in noise-restricted areas.
Shredding Compost
About 50% to 80% of the nutrients that trees use during the year end up in their leaves, which makes them a great choice for composting. Just raking up leaves and throwing them in the compost pile doesn’t work very well, though. Whole leaves tend to mat together and decompose slowly, which can disrupt the entire composting process.
For best results, use a shredder/vacuum to gather leaves and chop them up before adding them to a compost pile. This prevents matting and speeds decomposition. Once that’s done, you can put the leaves in a cage or bin by themselves or with green matter to start composting. Turn them a few times over the next few months, and in about a year you’ll have some nice compost rich in trace minerals and other nutrients.
