Autumn is a wonderful time of year. The leaves on the trees change their hue, bathing the neighborhood in splashes of scarlet and gold. Eventually, the trees shed their foliage and falling leaves end up on the lawn. So, should you rake fallen leaves or mulch them back into the yard?

Should You Rake Leaves or Mulch Them?

If you want your lawn to stay healthy during the fall and winter, you’ll need to remove the leaves from the turf so it doesn’t smother the grass.

You have options:

• Option one is raking them into a bag.
• Option two is mulching them back into the lawn.

Spoiler alert: mulching is the better and more eco-conscious choice for your yard.

Why You Can’t Leave the Leaves on Your Lawn

Grass is like every other plant in your yard – it requires regular maintenance and care to keep it looking great. Ensuring it has enough water, air, and sunlight is essential for a lush lawn – as are nutrients. Proper lawn care will save you time when spring arrives.

Leaving a thick layer of leaves on the grass will smother it, causing it to die. Covering the grass stops sunlight and air, and lessens water, which is a bad situation.

Grass without fresh air attracts harmful fungi. These fungi can spread to other plants and trees in your yard. They can even enter your home. A layer of leaf litter over the lawn keeps the ground cooler in the spring, but you’ll end up waiting longer for green shoots to turn into a new lawn or garden.

The reality is the leaves won’t disappear by themselves; it’s up to you to take action and do something about the situation.

Which is Better? – Mulching or Raking the Leaves?

Whether you decide to mulch or bag the leaves, removing them from the turf ensures they don’t smother the lawn. While most people just do leaf raking, mulching them into the yard returns vital nutrients to the ground that spur new growth in the coming spring.

Leaves contain two percent nitrogen, which is good for improving the soil.

Grass relies heavily on nitrogen for growth. Mulching the leaves into the environment is a great way to fertilize your lawn naturally. This will reduce your reliance on lawn fertilizer products the following spring.

Instead of collecting leaves, mulching them prevents weed seeds from growing, reducing the need for spring and summer weeding. This strategy prevents unwanted elements from taking hold in the lawn, such as crabgrass.

Here are the pros and cons of mulching and raking up the leaves in your yard

The Pros & Cons of Mulching Leaves

Pros

• Mulching is less work than raking, especially when using a lawn mower or mulching mower. A mulching blade can shred leaves into smaller pieces.
• You don’t have to worry about disposal of the leaves
• Mulching the leaves offers your lawn extra nutrients to reduce fertilizer requirements the following season.

Cons

• If you have many trees in the yard, too much leaf mulch may be overkill for the lawn.
• Mulching wet leaves isn’t a good idea as leaves decompose and rot, it may invite pest infestations and disease to the yard.
• Wet leaves and mulch can smother the lawn and prevent airflow from reaching the grassroots.

The Pros & Cons of Raking Leaves

Pros

• Raking leaves up is a great way to get some wintertime exercise. If you don’t want to rake, you can also use a leaf blower to save time.
• Raking the lawn keeps it looking tidy.
• Use the leaves as mulch for the garden beds or add them to your compost pile.

Cons

• Disposing of the leaves is challenging if your neighborhood doesn’t allow curbside retrieval of organic matter. You’ll need to visit a green landfill.
• Raking is a chore and time-consuming.

Arbor Hills Landscaping Company Omaha | Best Landscaping Company in Omaha, NE

Arbor Hills Trees & Landscaping Services can provide you with everything from detailed maintenance programs to unique plant production, and other services in between. That means we build water features, walls, patios, irrigation, walkways, outdoor kitchens, lighting, and anything else you can help us dream up. Our professionally trained staff can build the landscape of your dreams and keep you from breaking any Home Landscaping Rules.

Click on a heading bar below for more information:

Fire Pit Designs Landscaping Services

Imagine the ambiance created in your backyard landscape by a custom fire pit. In fact, nothing is more inviting on a cool spring night or for fall and winter gatherings of family and friends.A fire pit may be used to provide warmth during outdoor entertaining, but also as a heat source for outdoor cooking or simply roasting marshmallows. Our trained custom fire pit installers are experts in turning your vision into reality. More…

Outdoor Living Landscaping Services

Unlimited Outdoor Kitchen offers a professional outdoor kitchen, outdoor fireplace, and outdoor living room design, building, and installation services with FREE ESTIMATES. More…

Retaining Walls Landscaping Services

Enhance the beauty of your landscape with a retaining wall that is customized to coordinate with your home’s exterior.At Arbor Hills, our retaining wall designer will create a functional retaining wall that is aesthetically pleasing for your personal taste, and within your target budget. With the many materials available today, the retaining wall project you’ve been considering is just a phone call away! More…

Stamped and Colored Concrete

It is time to upgrade or replace some of the hardscape features surrounding your home? Stamped and colored concrete is a beautiful and affordable material. It enhances the color and texture featured on your home’s exterior.Stamped concrete in textures from modern to rustic is available to coordinate with your home’s existing design features. Colored concrete can be blended to match or enhance your home’s exterior color scheme. A designer from Arbor Hills will consider all these existing features at your site visit and when designing your project. More…

Patio Pavers Landscaping Services

Concrete pavers are a great way to improve your landscape and garden. In fact, they are super strong and lend themselves to many hardscaping projects. They rarely crack but if they do, each piece is easily replaceable. More…

Landscape Lighting Designs

Outdoor lighting can be nearly as important to the overall look and feel of your home as the landscaping itself. So you shouldn’t short-change yourself by skimping on quality lighting products. We are a full-service landscape and waterscape company that can solve all of your residential and commercial lighting needs anywhere in Omaha and the surrounding areas. More…

Water Feature Landscaping Designs

Imagine the sight and sound of bubbling water as you relax in your outdoor sanctuary. A water feature can give just the right ambiance to your outdoor retreat. Or, if you are looking for a water feature with traffic-slowing curb appeal, a designer from Arbor Hills will help you choose the water feature that best enhances your home. More…

Sod Installation Services

Whether you have just built your home, cleared agricultural land for your personal use, or simply want to improve the look of your existing yard, having sod installed is a fast way to create the lush, green carpet of grass you want.It offers instant satisfaction rather than weeks of waiting and anticipating whether or not your grass seed is going to grow. Plus, using sod offers a host of other benefits. More…More…

Mulch & Rock Landscaping Services

The concept, to design, to delivery and installation, we have more than 20 years of experience in the landscaping industry in Omaha and surrounding areas. Our services include delivery, full installation, and mulch and rock cleaning around your beds, trees, and more. More…

Plants & Shrubs Landscaping

Plants and shrubs are the backbones of your landscape, therefore they should be the first things you plant. Proper selection will enhance a home’s appearance and increase property value while reflecting the homeowner’s style and personality. More…

Tree Nursery

Let our trained nursery professionals assist you in selecting the perfect tree or shrub to complete your landscape. We carry a selection that is unmatched in Omaha and the surrounding areas and are willing and eager to explain our favorites. Improved varieties are introduced each year and we always strive to carry the best and newest – varieties more resistant to disease, shade trees better able to withstand storm damage, and ornamentals in unique colors, shapes, and sizes you have to see to believe. More…