Alternatives for Leaf Disposal
The beauty and splendor of autumn is generally diminished every year by the burdensome task of raking leaves. There are several options for leaf disposal that are not only environmentally beneficial to your landscape, but can also be less labor intensive than raking or blowing leaves. Here are four simple watershed-friendly ways to use your leaves and enhance your lawn:
1) Compost your leaves. Mix leaves with grass clippings and soil to create your compost pile. Compost can be added to your garden to enrich the soil and suppress plant diseases and parasites.
2) Chop or shred leaves with your mower and use them as mulch around ornamental plants, bushes and trees. Mulch reduces the need for watering and weeding.
3) Let leaves lie where they fall and mow them into the lawn. Leaves eventually decompose and can improve soil. Shredded leaves carry up to 80% of the nutrients a tree extracts from the soil and air.
4) Bag extra dry leaves to save for use in your compost pile during spring and summer.
Visit www.socwa.org for instructional videos on leaf mulching and tips for home composting.
