Leaf Litter. Leave or Remove?
The leaves are falling with abandon in our neighborhood, which gives us a lot of opportunity for discussion as we watch all activity across the street. One neighbor rakes and sweeps them up daily, ending up with a minimum of 10 bags a week over the course of several weeks. Another mows with a mulching mowers once or twice a week as the leaf cover dictates. The third mows and bags the leaves regularly, sometimes several times a week. Each method provides the look of a well kept lawn with a different impact on the environment. We just mow with a battery powered mulch mower when the leaves are thick enough that it seems necessary or use a blower/Vac and put the ground up leaves on beds for the winter. Ultimately all these leaves will breakdown into organic matter somewhere. We get to decide where, when and how.
How do you and your neighbors deal with all the falling leaves this time of year?
Is the a better solution that can provide more benefit to our gardens and the environment in general?
Replies
I too mulch with a battery mower and leave a light layer on the grass. I collect the rest in the mower bag and spread it over the beds. In spring I work the leaf skeletons into the soil. Extra leaves (from neighbours who don't use them) go into a compost box dedicated to leaf mold. I have the advantage of getting green ash leaves, which dry crispy and mulch down well.