Should I Rake Leaves? A Complete Guide
There’s a better way to get rid of leaves that’s also better for your yard—and the environment
Highlights
Not raking your leaves frees up your time and energy.
Instead, you can make your own mulch with decomposing leaves.
Mulching is better than raking for your yard and the environment.
When fall rolls around, you may start to wonder whether you should rake your leaves and clear your yard. Instead of raking leaves, consider hanging up your rake and using your mower to chop the leaves into mulch for your lawn. Although it may go against what you think is best for your yard, mulching can provide nutrients to the soil and help your grass grow thick and healthy. The guide below helps explain why mulching is more beneficial than the age-old task of raking.
Why Shouldn’t I Rake Leaves?
While many people have traditionally raked and bagged leaves to get them off the ground, many environmental experts report that removing leaves can harm your yard and the environment.
Yard Trimmings Create Landfill Waste
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, landfills received about 10.5 million tons of yard trimmings in 2018. That means that bags of leaves removed from homes are creating more waste in landfills around the country. Although the bags you put your leaves in are often recyclable, they take a while to break down and can combine with organic waste to create methane, which is a greenhouse gas.
Leaves Can Help Support Lawn Health
You may think that you need to remove leaves from your lawn in order for it to stay in good condition and grow, but that’s not necessarily the case. The decomposing leaves will release nutrients to your grass over time, leading to a healthier lawn. However, if your leaf coverage is more than 50 percent, you may need to rake a layer or two to prevent matting.
Best Ways to Remove Leaves From Your Yard
Raking leaves can be time consuming, especially if you have a heavily treed yard. And, depending on where you live, leaves can fall for several months out of the year—adding to the upkeep and time spent raking, scooping, and bagging. Instead of raking, try these leaf removal methods.
Mulch With a Mower
Believe it or not, mulching your leaves can preserve soil moisture, help get rid of pesky weeds, and protect your grass’ root system. If you own a lawn mower or have access to one, you can push it over piles of leaves to chop them into small pieces that are easier to spread around and use as DIY mulch. By mulching your own leaves, you can do your part to reduce greenhouse gases and eliminate waste.
Hire a Leaf Removal Service
If you don’t have the time or energy to deal with clearing or reusing your leaves, consider hiring a leaf removal company near you. When searching for the right removal service, talk with companies in your area about disposal methods, and prioritize those that reuse or compost leaves from clients to avoid adding to landfill waste. Keep in mind that professional leaf removal costs $200 to $600.
Collect and Compost
If you have excess leaves in your yard, use them to facilitate growth in other areas or your lawn or garden. Gather leaves using a rake, leaf blower, or leaf tarp and add them to a compost bin or a corner of your yard. Use the leaves to create layers among grass clippings, food waste, and other materials to create the baseline of a compost pile.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have light leaf coverage, anywhere from 20 to 50 percent, it’s not bad to not rake your leaves. In fact, as mentioned above, it’s often better for your lawn. However, if you have heavy leaf coverage, not raking and leaving them could cause them to smother your grass and prevent growth. Heavy coverage from leaves will require a small amount of raking until you have few enough leaves to mulch with a mower.
It depends on where you live—but in most areas, leaves begin falling in September and continue falling until January or February. Warmer regions, such as Southern states, may see leaves fall a bit later in the calendar year. It also depends on the type of trees in your yard and their maturity.