Raking up those autumn leaves?…

Many people go to the trouble and effort of raking leaves when they fall on their lawn. There is nothing wrong with that, except that you have to put in a good physical effort and risk back pain; and then I have to decide what to do with the raked leaves. If you have a good sized garden, this could take some time that you could otherwise spend on other necessary activities.

Do this instead…

Use your lawn mower and cover the leaves on the lawn. It not only saves time and energy, but also feeds the grass. I do this every year since our lawn is 1.25 acres and we have many lush trees! If you have a good lawn mower complete with shredding kit, you have what you need. If your mower doesn’t currently apply mulch, you may be able to purchase a mulch kit from the manufacturer, Amazon, or eBay.

Shredded…

• It can be fun!
• Save time!
• Save aches and pains!
• Feed the lawn!
• Makes the patio look neat!

Quilting best practices…

• Timing is key! (grass not too tall/not too wet)
• Allow grass to grow to 4-6 inches tall
• Use a lawn mower with a mulching kit
• Use fresh gasoline (unless you are using an electric lawnmower)
• Raise mower deck to highest setting
• Cut clockwise
• Work from the outside in

Timing is key.

Stop mowing the lawn when leaves begin to fall from the trees. Let the grass grow until it is approx. 4-6 inches tall. Taller grass catches leaves better, keeps them from being blown away by the wind, and holds them in place so they won’t be quickly knocked out of the way by mower blades while applying mulch. A couple of dry days or several days (better yet) is the optimal time to cover. It’s okay if the leaves are wet, as wet leaves don’t blow away as easily.

Before starting;

Raise the mower deck to the highest setting before starting.

It may take a couple of passes to coat the leaves to your liking.

Lawnmowers generally discharge to the right with the blades turning clockwise. So you want to cut in a clockwise circle working from the outside to the inside. This will help redirect loose leaves onto taller, uncut grass.

If the blades are bunching up in front of or behind the front wheels, stop, drive in reverse a few feet, and then continue forward again making a 1/2 cut into the blades instead of a full width of cut. With a bit of practice, you’ll get used to it and the task should go quite well.

When the fluffing is complete…

What I like to do is momentarily park my Craftsman riding mower next to the yard debris burn pile, turn off the blades and remove the chute cover. Next, I clean the grass and leaves from the top and bottom of the mower deck (you don’t want wet material sitting there to cause rust). With the discharge chute off, I re-engage the mower blades and drive for a few minutes (going over any areas that need a quick touch up), as this helps dry out the mower deck before putting it away.

Soon…

With a little preparation along with the right technique, it’s going to be a good mulching experience every time those fall leaves visit your lawn again. In the past you may have thought of fall cleanup as “work”; But with the “lawn mower mulch method” you might just have fun and enjoy the ride!

Happy Mulching!