It's that time of the year when trees shed their leaves, and gardeners must decide what to do with the leaf debris as it starts to build up.
Many gardeners use gas-powered, polluting leaf blowers to remove the leaves from the garden, but more eco-friendly and cheaper options exist. Mulching, for example, can be a great way to deal with leaf debris pile-up, as one homeowner recently discovered when they reached out for advice on the subreddit r/lawncare.
The homeowner shared a picture of their leaf-covered lawn, writing that they usually mulch the leaves but feared they had too many this time. "The leaves have built up quite a bit," the OP wrote.
Replies in the comments suggested the OP could still mulch this amount of leaves, which would positively impact their yard. This is because fallen leaves add nutrients to the soil, which can improve soil quality — great news for plants, trees, and even your lawn.
Raking and bagging leaves can also be harmful for the wildlife that depend on these leaves for shelter over the winter. A variety of insects, caterpillars, frogs, snakes, and salamanders are known to overwinter in fallen leaves, and making sure these are available can increase biodiversity in your garden.
Mulching involves chopping the leaves into smaller pieces using a lawn mower or leaf shredder. The leaves can then be left on the lawn or piled on garden beds to act as a protective layer during the winter. This helps conserve water, prevent weed growth, and provide important nutrients to the soil. This helps you save money on bills and reduces the need for additional fertilizers, which is a win for both your wallet and the environment.
Another way to save money in your garden is to switch out your traditional lawn for a natural lawn, replacing grass with other plants such as clover and buffalo grass. These plants are adapted to the local environment, so they don't need substantial watering like traditional lawns do. This will save you money on your water bills and also reduce the need for regular mowing and lawn feeding, as native plants can find all the nutrients they need in the soil.
Many people in the comments agreed that mulching is great for your garden.
One person wrote, "Nature's fertilizer. ... Mow it and mulch it all!"
🗣️ If you have a lawn, what aspect of it do you value most?
🔘 The way it looks 🤩
🔘 The way my family uses it 👪
🔘 It's enjoyable to mow 😎
🔘 It's cheap to maintain 💰
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
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