Should you rake leaves?

[united4ever]

Off a lawn or flower bed?

I have done it in the past this time of year and then wondered why I bothered as the leaves continued to fall for another 3 weeks. Should I just wait until the trees are bare and then do it? Does not doing it at all cause problems?

I rake leaves off the lawn 2-3 times over the autumn (or send DH out to do it ), because if they sit there for too long the grass dies, especially in certain areas where they drift into piles.

Not bothered about the beds - it's good mulch, as far as I'm concerned.

I rake mine, then compost them. There are so many they will kill the grass.

This year I had bags of chopped up leaves from the leaf blower so have put them on my borders. Not done that before so be interesting to see if it makes a difference.

There are a few holly trees here, I rake out those leaves out as they take ages to break down.

I'm hoping my grass dries out so I can do a final cut, the mower will save me using the rake.

rake off the lawn onto the beds, the worms will soon sort them out.

I suggest that you do an interim sweep now because it all so dry, therefore easy to rake and collect. Imagine doing the whole lot in three weeks' time when everything is soggy. Yuk!

So I have a huge tree, and loads of leaves.

I wait until most have gone (now) and then clear them

because they are so thick I do rake them off the flower beds, but don't worry about getting them all.

But then on the lawn, don't rake, it is back breaking!

get out the lawn mower. Set to high setting and mow. This chops up the leaves and collects them. Repeat and then lower the mower and repeat until all the leaves are picked up.
Big garden, and big tree did it yesterday and it took me an hour and a half.

Then the leaves. Get a large builder's bag, or create a compost heap just for leaves. Put all the chopped up leaves in it. Make sure they are damp. Cover and leave. In a year's time it is beautiful leaf mould which you can spread over the garden.

If you leave the ;eaves on the lawn, it will kill the lawn.

I rake off paths and grass. Usually twice. Don’t worry about the last few, a few leaves won’t bother anything .

It’s actually easier to rake wet as they hold together and are easier to pick up

I've done a couple of rakings, partly to stop the grass dying under thick patches, partly because it needed doing before some moss treatment was applied, but perhaps mostly because finding the dog's doings among leaves is so much harder than on grass.

Reminds me of the aftermath of snow. The cats are so diligent at burying their doings under 4 inches of snow…

Rake or mow regularly atm, cos otherwise it is impossible to spot the dog poo!

The remaining leaves seem to have disappeared off my back lawn, and piled themselves up on the drive (in sure a lot are actually stuck in the flowerbeds if I get out and look properly)

We take a few times but we have several large trees. Some get bagged for leaf mould, some go in the recycling bins. I leave small piles of leaves in certain places for hibernating critters.

*rake