Fall is a gorgeous time of year, especially in Chicago, with the bright autumn colors and cooler weather. But it also means dealing with falling leaves. While it might be tempting to avoid this chore, you’ll be doing yourself a favor by cleaning up the leaves. Over time, a thick layer of leaves on your lawn prevents sunshine and might attract mold, bacteria, pests and weed seeds.
Instead, turn your leaves into mulch for your lawn, flower and garden beds. Shredding leaves is less work and a great way to add nutrients to your yard. Plus, adding mulch/compost in the fall is the ideal time. If you don’t have a mulching mower to shred the leaves into tiny pieces, set the blades to the highest setting and mow over them. It’s easiest to do this when they are dry.
You can also make leaf mold from the chopped up leaves and use it for your garden next season. It’s a great way to preserve the nutrients and minerals of the organic matter. Take the chopped up leaves you mowed over and stuff them into a makeshift bin and pack them down. Then wet the leaves. A chicken wire fence works or even black garbage bags. If you use garbage bags, seal and poke holes in them to provide airflow. Flip the bags every 6 months until you have small, flaky brown bits.
Remember, your yard will need attention in the fall. Make sure to keep rotting leaves away from the house, especially wood siding, because it can cause it to rot. Leaves can also block water flow and prevent water absorption, this is why it’s so important to clean your gutters in the fall. Wet leaves on walkways and paths can become slippery, especially when they decay. Big piles of dry leaves could become a fire hazard. Clean them up!
Please contact us if you have any questions. Happy Fall!
