Why is a Leaf Cleanup from your lawn so important?
What do you like most about fall? Many people love autumn because of its mesmerizing colors of the leaves. No matter where you look it’s an ocean of vibrant yellow, orange and red…and everything in between.
The spectacular colors on the trees only last for a few weeks. The leaves fall down onto the ground and leave behind a tree with bare branches. For many homeowners this will mean to cleanup the leaves…especially from all lawn areas.
Kids enjoy jumping into big leaf piles…sometimes making your hard work of cleanup in vain. That’s when we ask ourselves… “Why is it so important to cleanup the leaves, why can’t I just leave them where they fall and let Mother Nature deal with it?”
Your lawn needs light and air. Leaves block those necessities and as they get soggy over winter they will certainly suffocate the grass if left. This may also cause brown, dead patches over time.
However, trees, shrubs and perennials will appreciate a thick leaf cover around their base as it protects from the harsh winter conditions. As the leaves break down over winter they will release valuable nutrients for the plants and also help keeping moisture and warmth over the cold winter months.
Rake or mulch?
In case you don’t have very many leaves you can use your lawnmower with a mulching blade and chop up the leaves. This way you give your lawn free fertilizer and safe yourself a whole bunch of time…win/win!
Two Options
But what to do if you have to rake them up and dispose? If you don’t have your own compost pile in the yard you need to get rid of them once they are raked up. Stony Plain and Spruce Grove residents can use their green cart although in many cases it may not big enough to hold all leaves plus clippings from final lawn cut. Then I’d suggest you bag the rest and either fill them into the cart over time or you can bring them to the nearest recycling center. Living in Edmonton only gives you two options in case of needed disposal:
- you can bag the leaves and leave the bags at the curb for city garbage pickup with no limit on amount of bags, but please keep them light enough for the garbage personnel to handle. If they are too heavy they will not be picked up
- you can bring the leaves to a nearby recycling center
Cleaning up leaves from your lawn is important and can also be fun and a great family weekend afternoon project. It does not have to be a daunting item on your to-do list. Maybe you create a little leaf pile in a corner of your yard and make it a winter sanctuary for wildlife in your garden.
If you don’t have time or the energy to do this on your own you can always contact us and schedule a professional leaf cleanup job before the snow flies. We are here to help.