Fall leaves: when to rake, and what to do with them

There is a lot to love about fall color, right up to the moment it lands on your lawn. A few leaves do no harm, but once they pile up and the rain sets in, they turn into a wet mat that your grass cannot breathe under. The good news: with a bit of timing, those same leaves become one of the best free soil improvers you will find.

What happens when leaves stay put

After a few showers, fallen leaves stick together into a layer that blocks light and air. The grass underneath turns yellow, mold sets in and by spring you are looking at bare patches. That damp layer is also an ideal place for fungal diseases to spread, and for slugs, insects and small rodents to spend the winter close to your plants.

On paths and steps, wet leaves are simply slippery. Clearing them is as much about safety as it is about a tidy yard.

Rake little and often

It is tempting to wait until every tree is bare and do it all in one weekend. Your lawn is better off if you start as soon as the first leaves come down and rake a few times through the season. Light layers come up easily, the grass never gets smothered and the job never becomes a chore.

Turn the leaves into compost

Leaves are rich in carbon, the “brown” half of a good compost pile. Mix them with nitrogen-rich “greens” such as grass clippings or kitchen scraps and you get compost that improves soil structure, helps it hold water and feeds plants slowly. Leaves break down slowly on their own, often taking months up to a year. Run the mower over them first and the shredded pieces will rot down much faster.

Or use them as mulch

You can also spread raked leaves straight onto your beds. A thin layer around shrubs, under trees and in borders keeps the soil moist, holds back weeds and protects roots against cold snaps in winter and heat in summer. As the leaves break down, their nutrients go back into the soil where your plants can use them.

Choosing the right rake

The size of the area decides the tool. For an open lawn, a wide rake with long, springy tines gathers a lot of leaves per stroke without tearing up the grass, and a long handle lets you work upright. In borders and between shrubs, a narrow rake with seven tines lets you pull leaves out without damaging the plants. For flower beds, containers and tight corners, a short hand rake gives you the most control. And if you have small helpers, a children’s leaf rake lets them join in properly.

Sneeboer forges its leaf rakes from stainless steel and fits them with ash handles, so they stay light, flexible and rust-free season after season. A rake that does the job well makes it a lot easier to keep up with the leaves until the last tree is bare.

Tools for life and generations to come.