This Is What Happens If You Forget To Rake Your Yard

Leaves changing color is one of the best things about fall. One day they’re bright green, and then slowly but surely (or sometimes all at once!) they transform into fluttering bursts of gold, red, and orange. For a couple of glorious weeks in the Spokane area, we get to enjoy this lovely foliage before it all comes crashing down. Literally.

When these fall leaves fall all over the your lawn, they suddenly look a lot less beautiful. In fact, they look downright annoying because raking them suddenly becomes part of your fall list of chores.

Raking Is An Essential Part Of Fall Lawn Care

Despite many articles that might tell you otherwise, raking autumn leave off of your grass is an essential part of lawn care. If you don’t rake up your leaves, and allow them to get “snowed in” to your yard, you’re at  risk for:

1. Pale, weak blades of grass – When sunlight can’t reach your turf because it’s covered up with leaves, the grass that grows next year will be pale and weak, if it grows at all.
2. Fungus, mold, and bacteria growth – When rain and snow falls on leaves, it becomes a breeding ground for fungi, bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that lead to soil diseases.
3. Walking hazard – We probably don’t have to tell you that a thick matting of slippery leaves on your lawn and walkways creates hazardous walking conditions for anyone who might be visiting your home.

You Have To Rake ‘Em, But You Don’t Necessarily Have To Bag ‘Em

Hopefully the above consequences have shown you that it is necessary to remove fallen leaves from your lawn, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to spend hours shoving them into plastic bags to be picked up by your trash collection service.

If you’re against the idea of disposing of leaves the traditional way, think about:

• Piling them up in a corner of your yard where they’re not likely to blow around. This is called making a “leaf mold” and it’s a way to allow them to decompose naturally, returning their nutrients to the soil
• Composting them in your existing pile or container. If taken care of properly, leaves can be turned into cheap organic fertilizer that will work wonders in your summer garden!
• Share them with local farms, schools, or even neighbors who might be looking for organic materials they can turn into mulch or compost.
• Use them to build a brush shelter for wildlife using these tips from the Humane Society.

Let Impeccable Landscapes meet your lawn care needs!

If you dread the idea of dealing with any of the lawn maintenance tasks that come along with the changing of the seasons, including raking your leaves, you’re in luck!

Impeccable Landscapes would be happy to provide you with premium lawn care services all year long. With us as your lawn care partner in Spokane, you can sit back and enjoy the leaves without worrying about having to rake them up. Contact us today!