You Should Mow Your Leaves
Are you thinking about raking the leaves on your lawn? Instead, it is best to mow over the leaves as it has many benefits for your lawn. Not only is raking time-consuming but you are also preventing your lawn from getting the various nutrients present in the leaves.
In this article, we are going to share the benefits of mowing over leaves, the harmful effects of raking the leaves instead of mulching and tips to mow the leaves.
Benefits of mowing over leaves
- Mowing over leaves causes them to break into small pieces that are easy to decompose. These leaves contain natural nutrients that help in keeping the soil healthy throughout the year.
- Less requirement for fertilizers. The mulched leaves provide the nutrients required to keep the grass healthy and thus there is less requirement to add fertilizers to our lawn. This also helps in reducing pollution from the environment that happens due to the use of fertilizers.
- Mowing over leaves is a much easier process than raking. It consumes less time and is better than raking, piling and bagging. You are also able to save money by not needing bags after raking and paying money for additional labor.
- Mulch added to the soil is a natural fighter against weeds and prevents them from growing in your lawn.
Tips to mow over leaves
- The blades of your mower should be sharp. Cutting the leaves into small pieces the size of a dime will help them decompose quickly.
- Mow your lawn frequently once the leaves start to form a pile. This allows you to easily mow over them in a single round.
- Spread the leaves evenly and ensure that the grass blades are visible. Otherwise, it can block the sunlight and air circulation through the glass blades.
- Avoid mowing wet leaves and prefer mowing dry leaves. As wet leaves can end up damaging the internal components of your mower. They will also clog the mower frequently and you will need to pause regularly to clean them. Wet leaves are slippery too which can turn into a dangerous situation while mowing.
Few disadvantages of not mowing your leaves
- Raking the leaves from your lawn and bagging them leads to environmental pollution.
- Raking instead of mowing is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process.
- Not mowing your lawn can lead to the trapment of moisture under the leaves which will result in diseases such as fungus growing in your lawn. The leaves are also favored by rodents and insects for a living.
Final Thoughts
Mowing over leaves helps you keep your lawn healthy and provides the soil with the necessary nutrients. Mowing is a far better alternative than raking your leaves and allows you to turn the leaves into a natural fertilizer. Mowing also has various advantages for the environment as it prevents the usage of bags and ends the need for the leaves to be thrown in landfills.