While a few leaves won’t cause any problems, however, when the leaves are falling in abundance, it can be a nuisance and cause a real headache. You may not realize fall leaves actually are like a big load of free natural fertilizer strewn about your lawn. Leaving the leaves on the ground has a lot of benefit to wildlife and your garden. Instead of raking up every last leaf in your yard to the curb this fall or shoving them into bags, you can actually use a lot of these fall leaves in your garden and around your home. There’s no way you cannot capitalize on these dead leaves (pure organic matter) that only comes once a year. Here are some suggestions by Simpsonville lawn care professionals on what you can do with fallen leaves: Mulch- If you have a large number of fallen leaves, then using them as mulch is a great alternative to bagging them up and throwing them away. Start by going over a big pile of them with a rotary mower or toss them into a shredder. Once you have shredded the leaves, spread your leaf confetti all over the lawn, garden, or flower beds where they can decompose and become part of the soil (provide an all-natural lawn food). Fall leaves are full of nutrients that are able to suppress weeds, and will also act as insulation for plants and vegetables. It’s best to shred the leaves first, remember the finer the cut, the faster they’ll decompose, and also the plant roots are better insulated from cold weather when shredded (without blocking water or air). Compost- Fallen autumn leaves are one of the best sources of brown material for your compost bin. There can be no better use for dead fall leaves than this. Compost piles require a balance of wet, green materials and dry, brown materials. Dried leaves are a prime carbon source and are a perfect brown material that you can balance with fresh grass clippings, plant clippings that make for good green materials, which will eventually break down into a thick black compost, and act as fuel for your plants, flowers and lawn. Soil Amendments- Simply add leaves straight to your garden beds as a soil amendment. It's ideal to shred the leaves first, not that important though. Some of the benefits to your soil include increased nutrient content, improved soil structure, and an earthworm-friendly environment. Other uses of fallen leaves:
It must be noted that you must not burn the leaves as this can cause house fires, and it’s just as important to not trash leaves to avoid adding to the country’s already overfull landfills. There are some leaves you must not mulch as some trees produce chemicals that can be seriously harmful for other plants in large quantities- consult with a professional in this regard. The bottom line is leaves can have multiple uses in the lawn and garden. It’s high time you minimized the time you spend raking and reaped their benefits to wildlife and the greater environment (that fallen leaves offer). So just go out and make the best use of those wonderful, versatile autumn leaves. For lawn care in Simpsonville services, look no further than the acclaimed Curb Appeal Lawn Care. Contact us at 864-399-9185.
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September 2022
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