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October is peak season for admiring fall foliage and soon
those leaves will begin to fall, if they haven't already done so. Before you
start to clean them up, Virginia Tech turf experts suggest that you try a
different approach instead of bagging and tossing.
"If you collect leaves, it's ideal to compost them
rather than disposing of them in the landfills,"
says Virginia Tech turf grass expert Mike Goatley. "The biggest concern
with landfills is that the leaves occupy space that would be much better served
for typical landfill debris, instead of organic
waste that can be used in a proactive way for the lawn,
landscape, garden, and/or flower beds."
Mulching leaves in yards, instead of removing them, actually benefits lawns and gardens, according to experts.
According to Sandor, the best time to mulch leaves is when
they are slightly moist because they are easier to shred. "It's important
to wear eye protection during
this process and make sure you have removed all other debris that might be a
hazard. Remember, you are using a mower to mulch leaves, not grind
stumps."
You also want to be sure not to let your yard get too many
leaves on it. "A heavy leaf cover can significantly reduce the
photosynthetic activity of the turf grasses in your lawn,
restricting them from the beneficial sunlight that are required for optimal
growth and development," explains Goatley. "If this is the case,
you'll need to rake some of them and consider adding those to your compost
pile, otherwise you will need to run the mulching mower over the leaves several
times so they can be more-readily broken down into soil organic matter."
Provided by Virginia Tech