Fallen Leaves: Mow, Don’t Blow

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Geoffrey Mehl

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Photo Credit: © Pennystone Gardens

Mowing leaves in a constant direction eventually turns foliage into small bits of short-term mulch. (One full-sized oak leaf gives this example some scale.)

With the temperature hovering in the low 20s and a few snowflakes drifting through the air, it probably looked odd that I was out in my yard on the lawn mower. The grass had long gone dormant, the ground was already frozen, and the path behind me sparkled when the sun peeked out and lit up the ice.

But I wasn’t mowing the grass – I was actually mowing leaves.

Where I live, trees shed leaves in three major waves. The maples are first: vivid yellows and reds, thin and papery and very quick to decompose. Next come the huge brown, crunchy chestnut oak leaves, eager to poison the soil where they land and smother the ground. (Oaks are territorial plants and just don’t care for competition. The toxic nature of the leaves dissipates quickly and then settles in to form a dense mat. At the lowest half-inch, the leaves decompose to form brown humus that eventually feeds the tree looming above.) A couple of weeks later, and usually after the first real warning that winter is coming, the foliage stragglers – the red oak leaves – swarm across the blustery ground.

Photo Credit: © Pennystone Gardens

Freshly mowed leaves create small mounds in critical areas. By spring, they’ll have collapsed into nice, compact mulch.

In an ideal world, none of these leaves would be raked, gathered, discarded or, in my case, shredded. While they’re the worst possible thing for lawns and flower beds, in their natural state, leaves are a critical part of a forest ecosystem. They serve as mulch, fertilizer and habitat for useful creatures that help keep trees strong and healthy.

But to many gardeners, fall leaves are like moss: evil, annoying and a problem to be dealt with ruthlessly. They offend our sensibilities of neatness and order. After all, if we left them work in their natural way, the back yard would revert to the sort of place to which we drive many miles to visit, hike in and admire the splendors of nature.

Facts

Shredded leaves can retain moisture for very long periods of time – longer than many mulches. This means you might need to water less in the summer.
A leaf doesn’t just fall after it turns color in autumn. It’s literally kicked off the tree when a chemical produced by the tree slices it off the stem.

Tips

The finer you mow leaves, the faster they decompose, becoming a rich humus that makes your soil better. So save half your leaf harvest for mulching in the spring.
Whether you blow, mow, rake, bag, mulch or compost, make sure you do something useful with all those leaves! If you leave them on the ground untouched, they can smother the grass.

Faqs

Q: Why is a leaf perfect for “feeding” the tree it comes from?
A: The chemical composition of a leaf changes during the growing season. By the time it tumbles to the ground, it’s perfectly balanced to feed that species of tree.

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Articles

Making the Most of Your Leaves
When raked and used properly, those fallen leaves on the lawn can provide at least two useful materials for your garden. Turn your fallen leaves into a growing gift – learn the quick, easy and affordable way to make leaf mulch and leaf mold.
Bury Your Leaf Problems
Do you have too many autumn leaves and no room for a regular compost pile? Bury your problem! Digging a compost pit is an easy way to dispose of raked leaves and other yard waste without having to layer.
Leave It Alone – the Art of Passive Composting
Composting is a basic skill all gardeners should learn. So is raking. If you’re faced with a mountain of leaves every autumn, a passive composting system may be the best option to combine both skills – not to mention a great way to help your garden!

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