Vande Hey Design Center

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Leaf them alone

Right now we all have an abundance of leaves collecting on our lawns and in our landscapes.  In time we begin to see large piles of leaves collecting along our curbs but is this the best way to utilize the annual leaf drop?

There are alternatives besides raking to the curb.
- Instead of raking, considering leaving the fallen leaves on your lawn to be chopped up by the lawn mower.  A modest amount of leaves shredded by the mower can provide a natural, organic boost to the lawn.  Just make sure the layer of chopped leaves is not so thick as to bury the lawn or create a mat of leaves on top of the grass.
- Shredded leaves from your mower or shredder make a great organic winter mulch for your perennials.  A thin layer spread over the perennials once the ground has begun to freeze is a great way to protect sensitive plants or shallow rooted perennials such as coral bell and Shasta daisy.
- Consider working in a layer of shredded leaves to the vegetable garden or annual flower garden providing an organic boost in the spring.

The annual drop of leaves from our deciduous trees is nature's way of returning to the soil what it used during the summer.  We can help in the task by using this bounty of organic materials ourselves in our own yards or encouraging our cities to compost the leaves we rake to the curb.