For All Things Missoula, Montana

How to Deal with Leaves Like a Pro This Autumn

Whether we like it or not, trees will start to shed all of their leaves when autumn kicks in. While they do look beautiful, having huge piles of leaves all over your lawn, backyard, or driveway is not exactly convenient. Most homeowners find the chore of getting rid of those leaves to be hectic and annoying. However, there are several ways to deal with the fallen leaves effectively and easily. 

Read on to learn more about these professional methods that can be quite helpful this autumn. 

Use a Lawnmower to Compost the Leaves

One of the best ways to handle tree debris and fallen leaves is by using a lawnmower to compost them. You need to get the piles spread out evenly on the lawn to easily use your lawnmower to compact them. You need to understand that the compost you make can be used for providing your soil with nutrients. This can keep your lawn and garden healthy and makes your plants or flowers grow stronger.

Depending on the size of the leaves, you might want to run over them with a lawnmower twice to mulch them and make the piles smaller in size. Then, you need to use the bagger on the lawnmower, which can easily help you pick up all the piles and store them in one bag. Instead of bagging all of the leaves and debris in several big bags, you can just use this smart and convenient method.

Blow and Vacuum Technique

You can try the blow and vacuum technique and just forget about the numerous trash bags or rakes. You just need a leaf blower to help you gather all the leaves and debris in one spot. You need to have a large tarp spread on that spot to help you carry all the leaves in one go. Advice from the reviewers at appliancereviewer.co.uk/best-leaf-blowers/ suggests that a 2-in-1 leaf blower with a vacuum function can minimize the manual labor. This means that you can save time and effort when piling the leaves and easily pick them up with the tarp by just using the vacuum function. 

Once you finish the job or after the bag is full, you can just dispose of the leaves by emptying the bag easily and quickly in the trash bin. You won’t need several trash bags or a tarp to carry them all. Remember to scout the area for twigs and rocks beforehand to avoid damaging your blower. Some leaf blowers have a 3-in-1 model that compresses the leaves as they’re getting vacuumed. This decreases the volume of the haul, which makes it an extremely useful feature to have. 

Aerate Them on the Lawn

Another method for you can be aerating them on the lawn. This means that you won’t move, vacuum, or dispose of them at all. You just need to learn how to aerate your backyard or lawn with the tree leaves. You will use them as they are to your advantage so you can reinvigorate the soil. This is the process of getting the right amount of water and air into the soil to help it absorb the nutrients faster. Some yards have thick and compacted soil that obstructs most water and oxygen. Aeration using the leaves can loosen those parts that block any nutrients from entering the soil.

Depending on your budget, you can use a manual aerator or a power aerator. In some cases, you might need both because your lawn has several areas that need manual aerators since the power versions won’t work properly in the tight spots that don’t accommodate its size. The manual model is quite efficient for small lawns or backyards. Also, if your backyard has a lot of furniture, landscaping items, or anything that would make the yard heavily-trafficked, you won’t be able to use your power aerator properly. This method is very useful when your grass isn’t looking too good or decaying too fast.

Having a messy backyard or driveway can be unpleasant, and cleaning up the mess can be a hassle for a lot of homeowners. However, with the right mindset, tools, and elbow grease, you will make your yard look as good as new in no time. Some people like to simply dispose of them, others like to compost them, and many just shred them into little pieces to speed up the decomposition process. You just need to choose the right method that you’re comfortable with. Hopefully, with this guide, the fallen leaves won’t stress you out too much this autumn.

Create a Mobile Website
View Site in Mobile | Classic
Share by: