As the last of the leaves are falling, don’t be so quick to grab the rake this year. (What?!) Yes that’s right, I said, “Leave the rake, instead, grab the lawn mower.” Studies done at Michigan State University, partnered with scientists at Scotts Miracle-Gro, have shown that turf is significantly healthier when homeowners practice “leaf mulching,” or mowing fall leaves back into the lawn instead of raking.
This new fall regimen for obtaining a healthy lawn, without the backbreaking leaf raking, has proven to save time and money, adding nutrients to your lawn. It speeds up spring greening and reduces the growth of weeds. A Fall 2007 leaf mulching study found that lawns that were fertilized with TurfBuilder or TurfBuilder Winter Guard after the mulching process had significantly less leaf refuse in the spring.
So say goodbye to your rake and hello to the environmental benefits of leaf mulching. You’ll never be so happy to cross off “rake the lawn” from your fall to-do list!
