Should you mulch leaves into your lawn or rake them up

[@GrassDaddy]

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[@edclift9674]

We have many trees and carry the equivalent of 150 bags of leaves to the ravine each year. I started to mulch about 15 years ago, but gave up when we had 6 inches of mulch covering our grass after 3 weeks of mowing. So . . . we don't mulch because we like grass that is alive the following year, not dead, moldy and wet grass.

[@robertknight4672]

I have discovered equipping a lower end mower with a gator blade can help improve its performance for leaf mulching.

[@teresaellis895]

We mulch weekly or so in fall...we saved a pile for compost tumbler..I saw neighbors bagging leaves and they gave me 4 bags leaves for next summers compost tumblers .I can now just mulch mine..it is alot easier..

[@mattcondit356]

Just found this as I was checking out the channel. Did exactly this last fall. Great green up this year. Bagged my first two mows which pulled up any leaves that were still not decomposed.

[@GrassDaddy]

Yup! It's easier and better for the lawn.

[@lawnboy1010]

As a commercial company, I mulch-mow leaves all throughout the fall. Not only does it reduce disposal costs, but is a lot less labor intensive. If kept managed through weekly mowing, there are very few times I've had to remove leaves.

[@changingworldllc1157]

So simple

[@YardworkWithJohn]

Interesting. I have a large back yard and a small front yard. The front gets blanketed in huge oak tree leaves. Even with what you've said in this video, I still feel like these giant leaves from these 100+ year old trees are just too much for my lawn and mower to handle. If nothing else, they'll be more work to mow repeatedly than to just rake up. BUT my large back yard has no oaks, only maples and some other oddballs. So out back, I'm thinking this year I'll just mulch everything and see how it goes. It's more reasonable back there than it is in the front. And it's a much larger space, so it will save me a lot of hassle.

[@starwarsfanforlife]

Nice video...one thing to also add is that you will need to have the height at about 2.5" so that the mower has more vacuum to suck up the leaves.

[@GrassDaddy]

good point!

[@happysfamilywnc]

It's a big dusty mess but I mulch all my clients leaves, I believe it's very beneficial, also for gardens!

[@cfitzgduke]

I use the Ballard X blade and two mulch blades set up on my ZTM, and the leaves evaporate. I know Cory used the high lift on the bottom and much on the top, but I have found that two mulch blades work great, have plenty of lift, and have a double mulching effect. Also, a Michigan State study showed that leaf mulching reduces dandelion growth the following year. I do not get dandelions in my mulched lawn.

[@barnyard27]

Mulching mine this weekend with my 80v Kobalt mower and cleaning up with my 56v Ego 530cfm blower :)

[@johndavolta3124]

Yeah and then having to wait hours for it to recharge and finish

[@tuneaddicted]

Great video and advise... the other thing you can do is much several times like explained here and if there is still too much debris and leaf chunks you can then put the bag on your mower and pick up what is left. You won't have that much and its pretty fine by then and you can put that on your garden or raised beds, or perennial beds. MUCH easier than loading and hauling leaves off and paying to dispose of them!

[@Gendo3s2k]

over the past five years that I've been a homeowner, I've never mulched, or raked or anything, and every spring, the lawn looks great. the leaves don't decompose all the way, you can dig down into the grass, and see the leaves are still there slowly breaking down and feeding the topsoil. Only downside (if you can call it that) is there are a LOT of pillbugs feasting on the decomposing leaves.

[@Gendo3s2k]

hmm...I should get chickens...They'll love those pillbugs

[@robertknight4672]

I installed a gator blade on an older Craftsman push mower. I does just as good on leaves as your Honda.

[@wayneessar7489]

In Colorado, there they have a female jogger who puts organic material on lawns, for free! I have tried the "one notch" higher in the front adjustment on the HRX and it works well, especially if your plowing into substantial leaf piles. Here though we get eight months of rain and most folks mulch and bag to compost piles so as not to inhibit drainage.

[@drum_bum]

Lol at the jogger. Just gotta keep feeding her!

[@jimmypautz]

The cheaper Honda HRR has the same twin mulching blades as the HRX and mulches great. It doesn't have the notches: either full mulch or full back output/bag, but it works great for leaves.

[@GrassDaddy]

+Jimmy Pautz yeah I rarely use any notches always one or the other

[@mct8888]

I always use the notches. Love the middle setting so my lawn isn't completely covered and saves me some work bagging. Nice middle ground.

[@Doomzdayxx]

Mulching leaves on my riding mower was a life saver for me. Nothing wrong with hard work, but between the two properties, I would have to spend an entire weekend raking/bagging leaves, and have 30 bags for pickup. With the mower, I can have everything mulched in a few hours. More time to do other things. God bless technology.

[@Surreal6969]

I'm tryin that this year, when I see alot of leaves I'm gonna mulch them but sometimes I have to wait a couple of days cause it rains. I'm not gonna wait until spring.

[@shaunleereis2592]

I mulch a couple of my customer lawns and I find that it takes more time to mulch then bagging it takes me a half hour to bag two hours to mulch to have the same look as mulching

[@tomodegaard6441]

I have a maple tree in my yard that has black spots on it's leaves. I've read that this is from leaving your leaves on the ground over the winter. I'm not saying that mulching your leaves is leaving them on the ground but if your tree(s) have anything weird going on I'd research it to see what the reason is. Has anyone heard of this or had this happen. Thanks for all the great videos grass daddy. Can't wait to see what my lawn looks like next fall.

[@barbzylema8276]

It is a disease. It doesn't have anything to do with leaving your leaves on ground. The pathogens are most likely in the air distributed by the wind.

[@brucec43]

Mulching leaves is quite different from mold spores on whole leaves left in place where moisture collects and is kept blanketed in. Properly mulched leaves quickly break down in the soil in any but freezing temps.

[@foosmonkey]

I’ve been mulching the leaves for years and I swear by it.

[@Ronbo765]

What about leaves raising the height of the lawn over time?

[@amandapadilla9048]

i like rakeing leaeves in my yard

[@chuckkowalski6360]

Makes sense, thanks will give it a try this fall season mulching at least once per week... okay, how about updates on your Urea, backyard reseed ( looks likes it was very successful ), the soaping on the driveway edge and the Honey Dew new backyard “ book reading” area.... thanks ! Keep up the good work..

[@Marmocet]

If for some reason you have a massive amount of leaves and you really can't mulch them all into your lawn, you can also rake them into a pile, suck them up with the mower and catch them in the bag, then use the shredded leaves to mulch flower beds. Shredded leaves, in my opinion, make the best garden bed mulch. You can lay them down thick enough to suppress weeds, but they aren't so heavy that they bury your soil underneath an impenetrable layer like wood chips do. And they also break down within a year or two and leave behind black organic matter rich topsoil that most plants love. I see these leaves as a valuable resource and even though I often take the bags my neighbors leave on the curb, I can never get my hands on enough of them.

[@joseoneway5065]

great explanation about the PH on the mulching proccess thanks for the vid

[@aguyandhiscomputer]

1:34 "I go crazy" - Grass Daddy 2017

[@jeff99usa1]

I hope I'm not barking up the wrong tree but I just leaf them alone.

[@davidangers7909]

What HOC to much at?

[@randyr6610]

If you have a vegetable garden put your mower on high sitting and mulch it in the bag than put in your garden mix it in your soil. Than pour more on the top than let it set for the winter. Next spring your veggies will be awesome.

[@MH-rj3jf]

Hi Grass Daddy! That study you mentioned about the leaves not changing the lawn's PH levels.. did they test for all sort of leaves? Including pine and firs?

[@larrystradeski8261]

I haven't raked leaves for over 35 years ,mulching is the way to go.I watch people in fall rake and bag their leaves which takes a while.I go over my lawn with the mower "Done" .Leaves gone lawn is fertilized.

[@drumermp]

What about seedlings after overseeing? Very cool video

[@GrassDaddy]

+drumermp if you have seedlings I would bag it until its thicker

[@irishmann2108]

When you did your research what did they say about adding to thatch levels?

[@GrassDaddy]

The leaves when mulched will break down rapidly.

[@irishmann2108]

I thought always good to get a second opinion... Keep up the videos bud.... I watch every single one !

[@GrassDaddy]

Thanks!

[@rudy52350]

I have nothing but oak leaves and I have always been told ,do not mulch oak leaves . And I have tons and tons of them , mine and the neighbors . What do you suggest ?

[@GrassDaddy]

+rudy52350 mulch them in, the study proved oak leaves don't change the pH level of the soil as was previously thought

[@rudy52350]

Alright I'll try it . thanks

[@frankc1430]

They're pulling the wool over your eyes. They just don't want to have to deal with the excessive waste issues. I live in a wooded lot and I do a soil sample twice a year. I'm always fighting a low PH problem. I'm always throwing lime down in my lawn every time I fertilize which is 4 times a year. If I don't do it my lawn gets very thin.

[@GrassDaddy]

I don't think there is incentive for the scientists to trick us into mulching. When done correctly it builds the OM in your soil. Around here we can drop it off free and the city turns it into compost and sells it.

[@Methodical2]

I personally blow the leaves to the street and bag them for the county to recycle and make and sell leafgro. I will not mulch leaves into my yard, except the very little that fall between the time I blow them and I mow. I will put down organics mechanically (i.e leafgro and now via Milorganite). For me it has nothing to do with how it will affect the lawn as oppose to I just don't want them on my lawn - looks better without them. Fortunately our county in MD converts yard waste into compost for homeowners - win, win.

[@GrassDaddy]

Yeah ours will compost for free as well, you can drop it off and pick up compost free. If you have a truck they'll even dump a load into your truck of compost, but I only have a mini van lol

[@Methodical2]

You have it better. They won't give it to us for free; it's only $31 for pickup load though - better than buying lots of bags.

[@nicholasbanks9838]

Do you have a link to that study?

[@GrassDaddy]

+Nicholas Banks this references the study but I don't have the study link handy msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/files/Mulch_fallen_leavesRS.pdf

[@Grassology-vs1hn]

Grass Daddy ,I'm in the market for the best small backpack sprayer. I'm tired of year to year my nozzles don't work. How long did you have your backpack sprayer? Do you have any recommendations ? Did you ever research any of sprayers plus backpack sprayers ?

[@rpmimprovementoutdoorservi9968]

Another informative video. Try to catch them all.

[@GrassDaddy]

+Randol Property Management & Improvement LLC thanks!

[@james-jl2ej]

You need to get footage of how you mulch leaves

[@GrassDaddy]

+james 123 yeah I will soon

[@jtierce1]

Off topic...sorry. Will round-up for grass kill bahiagrass?

[@drum_bum]

jtierce1 I just checked the roundup website, they have separate products for northern and southern turf. Looks like southern blend can be applied to dormant bahiagrass, but the northern blend is not recommended ever on bahiagrass. See for yourself.

[@chrisryan8863]

any risk of smothering the lawn with mulching leaves? I have so many leaves that mulching them seems like it would smother the lawn

[@GrassDaddy]

+chris ryan nope just do it at least weekly, I'll do it twice a week when the leaves drop really fast

[@brucec43]

Do it frequently enough, you'll be able to tell if you waited too long, they won't mulch up well. It's a lot less work even going out weekly than blowing, raking, and bagging. Pros do this. I did for 25 years.

[@Grant_Arnett]

Or you can bag them then put them into a composter

[@GrassDaddy]

+Grant Arnett yeah I thought about getting a leaf shredder for the garden too

[@shawnbixby1]

I love my yard more than my family. Lol just kidding

[@wiley0714]

Feed the groundhogs when they piss on the lawn it raises the pH. There's you're great University study on it.

[@Racontact]

Bro the waste management companies make money of yard waste. Look it up

[@changingworldllc1157]

MULCH!!!!!!

[@johnmills186]

I mulch my leaves but there is one down side , MOLES. More leaves more grubs = more moles.

[@bengaljam4550]

I don't understand these idiots using their leaf blowers. My neighbor blows his leaves 3 hours a week from Oct to December. After the last leaves have fallen I take my mower and mulch my leaves. Takes me 30 minutes and adds nutrients to my soil.

[@gerryshappell7451]

I feel like my lawn has become fine 'sand like' dirt due to the constant leaf mulching.

[@GrassDaddy]

that's odd. adding organic material should enhance the soil not make it sandy

[@gerryshappell7451]

maybe it was always like that... traditionally very high concentrations of clay with some soil on top where i live. But just the tons of leaves that i mulch all the time, seems to have made it less 'soil-like'. I am going to have some top soil trucked in i think.

[@lophiz1945]

Who cares if it looks "bad". Screw the neighbors and stop being a slave to appearances. Mulch or don't mulch. Do what you want and stop looking to the neighbors for approval.

[@SAEtaylor]

First

[@Surreal6969]

True people are giving misinformation. WHY? WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TOO.

[@johndavolta3124]

You meant: "what is this world coming TO?”