LAKEWOOD, Colo. — To rake or not to rake? Many people are asking that question as leaves continue to fall, covering lawns and gardens.
“The combination of the environmental issues and then the backlog of 'what do I do with all the leaves once I bag them up?' gave us pause,” Lakewood resident Justice Cain said. “When this last dump happened, we were kind of like, do we rake or don’t we?”
Colorado State University Extension Specialist Karim Gharbi has the answer.
“A lot of times, the best thing you can do for your lawn is to just leave it as it is,” Gharbi said.
Instead of whipping out the rake, Gharbi suggests grabbing the lawn mower.
“Put it on the highest setting and remove the attachment for collecting grass clippings, and then just run it over your lawn,” he said. “Maybe twice so you can chop up the leaves into small pieces. You’re basically mulching the leaves into the lawn.”
Gharbi said doing that provides your lawn with nutrients.
“Rather than going out and buying some synthetic fertilizers, which are usually not good for the environment,” he said.
That thin layer of mulch also provides insulation during the winter, Gharbi said, and blocks pesky weeds from popping up in the spring.
Gharbi’s rule of thumb: if you can’t see the grass, it’s time to remove some leaves.
“If you have greater than 50% leaf coverage, the leaves can form a mat,” he said. “If it’s a thick layer of leaves, with all the moisture that comes along, it gets even more matted. The mat of leaves keeps the turf from emerging in the spring. And, if it forms a thick enough mat, it can block out sunlight and air to the turf grass.”
Gharbi said lack of sunlight and lack of air circulation, plus the buildup of humidity and moisture beneath the mat, can fuel fungal diseases in your lawn.
If a thick layer of leaves covers your yard, Gharbi said to keep some on the ground and rake the rest.
“Maybe add them to your compost pile,” he said. “If you don’t have a compost pile, now is a good time to start one.”
Whatever you choose to do, he said you should not put your leaves in a plastic bag.
“Those leaves are never going to decompose in that landfill,” he said. “They’re going to sit in that plastic bag, which is like a prison.”
Gharbi said keeping a light layer of leaves in your yard helps the environment and gives insects, such as caterpillars, a place to stay warm in the winter.
“I think the health of the environment, the health of the system, is more important than our often-antiquated preferences,” he said.
Cain has several bags of leaves outside her home. She was going to throw them out with the trash, but now she’s exploring other options.
The city of Denver has a leaf drop program allowing residents to dispose of their fall leaves in an environmentally friendly way. Visit the city's website for more information.
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