What to do with all of the leaves this Fall?
Autumn is here and so are the leaves. It’s the quick turning point before we trade the green of summer, to the cold white of winter. But it’s not all bad. It’s time to harvest pumpkins, potatoes, and the falling leaves.
Most people see a frenzy of dead leaves scattered across their lawn and their first response is to grab the rake and start sweating. If you’re after a good workout, then all the power to you. But the question remains… what do I do with all of these leaves? Here are a few solutions to help you out this season.
Collect and Bag:
You can go to the old methods of collecting your leaves using a rake or even a leaf blower. Then get them into approved bags for collection. This method works, but it also takes a lot of work. On top of that you risk exhausting yourself for next to no reward.
Put them to work for you:
An alternative is to collect and mulch the debris that falls, and then put their nutrients to work for you and your gardens. It’s very hard to beat the value of organic matter as a source of garden nutrients. Collecting and mulching using a lawn mower with a bagging system or hopper can make for quick and easy work. You may need to raise your deck height in order to catch the leaves properly. Shredding them as much as possible will help them decompose faster. When you have your mulch add it to your soil to increase the number of beneficial earthworms and micro-organisms that feed off of this mixture. The extra carbon found in the leaves are a great balance to overly nitrogen rich soil. It will also lighten your soil to help retain its moisture.
Be sure to consider the types of leaves you plan to use. For example Walnut leaves are full of compounds that inhibit other plant growth. And be sure to avoid mixing in too many coniferous material such as pine needles. They tend to be highly acidic and causing a similar effect on growth.
You’re Busy. Let us do the work:
Now if you’re thinking to yourself “That all sounds like crap. I don’t care. I just want them gone”, then pick up the phone and get in touch with Harbourview Property Management. Not only do we have machines and manpower to get the job done, but we have the expertise to get the job done right.