Your Approach to Managing Leaf Drop--A Poll

[moneypitmike]

With the leaves dropping steadily outside my window, I began to wonder.....

[Flying MXZ]

I just mow them. They turn to topsoil eventually.

I live in the country surrounded by trees and fields with almost no neighbors. Plus I mow 2+ acres with trees all over, no way do I have time to rake them all. Someday I may get a bagger for the mower and use that but it has worked fine this way.

[CapturedNature]

I use a hand blower so I can't let too many leaves build up. My folks have a larger yard and need a full blown leaf blower. Even still, I think my Dad does it a few times...otherwise the wall of leaves becomes too much even for a full size leaf blower.

[moneypitmike]

I just mow them. They turn to topsoil eventually.

I live in the country surrounded by trees and fields with almost no neighbors. Plus I mow 2+ acres with trees all over, no way do I have time to rake them all. Someday I may get a bagger for the mower and use that but it has worked fine this way.

That's what we did until last year--then we hired someone. Somethings are just easier that way.....

[Damage In Tolland]

Gotta get them off the lawn ASAP. I hate leaves. I do it once and sometimes twice per week. They are awful for the grass esp. hen wet. very acidic and will destory the lawn if you just mulch them and leave them. I use the backpack blower to clear all the flowerbeds once a week and then borrow the neighbors 10HP blower on wheels. Then if there's any stragglers I'll mow them up.

[dendrite]

Gotta get them off the lawn ASAP. I hate leaves. I do it once and sometimes twice per week. They are awful for the grass esp. hen wet. very acidic and will destory the lawn if you just mulch them and leave them. I use the backpack blower to clear all the flowerbeds once a week and then borrow the neighbors 10HP blower on wheels. Then if there's any stragglers I'll mow them up.

After seeing your pics last winter, this is how I envision your house in the fall.

[Damage In Tolland]

After seeing your pics last winter, this is how I envision your house in the fall.

Blow them the hell into the woods..No messy piles of leaves like that

[Baroclinic Zone]

Mulch mow them into oblivion back into the soil.

[moneypitmike]

Gotta get them off the lawn ASAP. I hate leaves. I do it once and sometimes twice per week. They are awful for the grass esp. hen wet. very acidic and will destory the lawn if you just mulch them and leave them. I use the backpack blower to clear all the flowerbeds once a week and then borrow the neighbors 10HP blower on wheels. Then if there's any stragglers I'll mow them up.

:o

[moneypitmike]

Blow them the hell into the woods..No messy piles of leaves like that

Uber breeding grounds for chipmunks.

[CoastalWx]

One and done, although I don't have much of a yard.

[Isotherm]

Nothing. All of the large trees are located to the SE of my neighborhood, so given the dominant wind direction is W/NW, any leaves that fall from smaller trees in lawns will blow to the woods.

[Damage In Tolland]

One and done, although I don't have much of a yard.

To each their own,,but I'll never understand that concept.

[Brewbeer]

When they are thick, I blow them into the woods or suck them up with the mower (bagger attachment). If they are limited, I'll just run them over with the mower.

[moneypitmike]

I'm shocked I'm the only one who has someone do it for me. I'm a lazy sh*t, I guess.

[Damage In Tolland]

I'm shocked I'm the only one who has someone do it for me. I'm a lazy sh*t, I guess.

That's what rich folks who are consultants do

[moneypitmike]

That's what rich folks who are consultants do

"That's what rich folks "

Not me

"who are consultants"

Would you believe what I say? lol

56.5/46

[mreaves]

I just mow them. They turn to topsoil eventually.

I live in the country surrounded by trees and fields with almost no neighbors. Plus I mow 2+ acres with trees all over, no way do I have time to rake them all. Someday I may get a bagger for the mower and use that but it has worked fine this way.

This. I either take the bag off and mulch them or bag them and put them in the compost pile. Raking sucks.

[Allenson]

I rake up a few spots where the leaves fall heavy, a few times per fall just so I'm not doing all the leaves all at once. The rest of the yard, I just chop up with the mower/tractor. Contrary to some opinion, most hardwood leaves aren't terribly acidic--only mildly so and really are no big shakes for your soil pH. Chopping them up over your grass actually adds a fair bit of nutrients. I've done it this way for years and have never had any problems. Our soil here is naturally quite sweet/alkaline, so perhaps that helps buffer any acidity that the leave may add.

[moneypitmike]

Gotta get them off the lawn ASAP. I hate leaves. I do it once and sometimes twice per week. They are awful for the grass esp. hen wet. very acidic and will destory the lawn if you just mulch them and leave them. I use the backpack blower to clear all the flowerbeds once a week and then borrow the neighbors 10HP blower on wheels. Then if there's any stragglers I'll mow them up.

Maybe you can lend a hand?

[MaineJayhawk]

Maybe you can lend a hand?

Somewhere in Connecticut, somebody just had a pulmonary embolism.

[Allenson]

Maybe you can lend a hand?

That looks totally mowable/choppable to me. Vroom-vroom.

[moneypitmike]

That looks totally mowable/choppable to me. Vroom-vroom.

Yeah, but then I'd need to do it every few days......the lawn area's about 2 acres with 15 large maples dropping directly on it plus whatever blows in from the adjoining woods. I don't have the time for that. meanwhile, continually dropping with heavy bursts with each breeze.

[dryslot]

1 red maple, 2 red oaks, 59 Arborvitaes, Bag the red maple leaves once they are down with the JD tractor, The oaks don't shed until spring and end up who knows where but not on my lawn so have little to worry about..

[Allenson]

Yeah, but then I'd need to do it every few days......the lawn area's about 2 acres with 15 large maples dropping directly on it plus whatever blows in from the adjoining woods. I don't have the time for that. meanwhile, continually dropping with heavy bursts with each breeze.

I see. Sound like you need a leaf blower...or neighborhood kids.

59 Arborvitaes,

The deer must love your yard. Munch!

[moneypitmike]

I see. Sound like you need a leaf blower...or neighborhood kids.

Will neighborhood cows work? No kids around. Not much in the way of adults either for that matter.....

[dryslot]

I see. Sound like you need a leaf blower...or neighborhood kids.

The deer must love your yard. Munch!

No, I am in the city, Those are some of the deer's favorite vegetation though as evident in that pic you have, Have to worry more with the daycare kids messing with them, Lol

[Cold Miser]

To each their own,,but I'll never understand that concept.

One clean-up is fine. The acid that you speak of doesn't start destryoying the lawn as quickly as you think. Clearing the leaves 4-6 weeks after they start falling isn't the death blow to a good looking lawn.

[Johnno]

Backpack blowers x2, usually draft a friend, we blow them

out of the beds and from the stonewalls into open lawn where we can then use the JD tractor with big blower to get them to the tree line. It usually takes 2 full days, too much yard ftl. Every few years we call the vac truck to come and clean up the piles along the tree line as they get too big and can not decompose fast enough.

[Damage In Tolland]

One clean-up is fine. The acid that you speak of doesn't start destryoying the lawn as quickly as you think. Clearing the leaves 4-6 weeks after they start falling isn't the death blow to a good looking lawn.

No..one clean up is not fine. I don't want to look at a lawn filled with messy leaves. Once a week and twice if you have the time is the way to go