Leaves piling up on the lawn? Here's why you don't want too many leaves on your turf:
As the season shifts from summer to fall marked by cooler weather and leaves changing color and falling, lawn and garden maintenance shifts, too. The lawn may soon be covered in piles of leaves. Some leaves scattered here and there on the grass are okay but when piles accumulate, it's time to take action.
We spoke to lawn experts about why piles of leaves can harm your lawn, why raking frequently is important, and how to put all those nutrient-rich leaves to good use so you can continue to reap the benefits.
Meet The Experts
Marc Mayer is director of technical operations at TruGreen.
Elizabeth McMahon is a Horticultural County Extension Agent at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.
Related: This Fall Lawn Care Checklist Will Keep Your Yard In Shape
Why You Shouldn't Let Leaves Pile Up On The Lawn
Leaves falling is natural–it's part of the cycle. Unlike the forest floor, where leaves decompose and put nutrients back into the soil, leaves piling up and breaking down can harm your turf. Lawns need access to sunlight and airflow, just like all garden plants. When leaves accumulate, it reduces the lawn's basic needs—sunlight, water, and oxygen–to grow and stay healthy. Piles of leaves can smother the grass. "Accumulated layers of leaves can block sunlight and rain from reaching the grass, negatively impacting its health," says Marc Mayer, TruGreen’s director of technical operations. "This buildup also hinders proper air circulation, which can lead to lawn diseases."
A suffering lawn isn't going to look good either. "A thick layer of leaves can cause your lawn to decline in areas, further affecting the lawn's overall appearance," he adds.
How To Remove Leaves
During the fall, experts advise keeping up with leaf removal. "It's important to avoid letting large volumes of leaves gather, as this can suffocate the lawn and encourage disease," says Mayer.
Raking
An easy way to keep the lawn healthy and leaves off the lawn is to rake often. According to Mayer, "Regularly raking leaves helps your lawn breathe and stay healthy by allowing sunlight and air to penetrate the lawn canopy, preventing disease and promoting grass growth." He advises raking the leaves carefully rather than aggressively, which can pull up healthy or newly established grass.
Some leaves on the grass aren't an issue. But if they pile up and you can't see the grass, that can lead to problems. "Do not leave piles of leaves on your lawn," says McMahon. "This might smother and kill the grass."
Mowing
Mowing the grass may be option, typically if you live in warmer climates where you can usually mow year-round. "Mowing the leaves breaks them up into smaller pieces, which help add organic matter to the soil," says Elizabeth McMahon, Horticultural County Extension Agent, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. She recommends using a mulching mower rather than a regular mower. "You may need another pass with a regular mower to break up the leaves into smaller pieces," she says.
How To Use Leaves In Your Garden
Leaves are full of organic material and are wonderful to use in your garden. Once you've raked or mowed them, you can use them as mulch or add them to the compost bin. "Mulching returns valuable nutrients back into the soil, while composting creates a rich soil amendment that supports plant growth," says Mayer.
Compost
Composting fallen leaves is another option to create what's known as 'black gold,' a nutrient-rich amendment. Plus, it's an alternative to putting organic material in the landfill.
Compost needs a mix of oxygen (greens) and carbon (browns) that breaks down to create an amendment. If the leaves are dry the are considered "browns" and if they are fresh leaves, they 'greens." Dry leaves, along with dry grass, dead plants, wood chips, shredded paper, and sawdust are examples of carbon to place in the compost. Oxygen or green material includes grass clippings, produce scraps, tea bags, and coffee grounds.
Mulch
Mulch has many benefits for the soil and is an easy way to minimize garden maintenance. Mulch suppresses weeds, retains moisture in the soil, and adds nutrients back to the soil, too. "Fallen leaves can be used as mulch around annuals, vegetables, perennials, shrubs, and trees," says McMahon. "The leaves will block annual weeds from germinating, keep the soil cooler, retain moisture as well as slowly add nutrients and organic matter to the soil."
Carefully place leaves around your plants but without touching the stems or leaves as this can negatively impact your plants. So how much leaf mulch do you need? "Use only a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around vegetable plants and annuals, and 3-6 inch layer around perennials, shrubs and trees," says McMahon. "You can use a thicker layer of leaves if you are mulching between rows in a vegetable garden."
