How to Clean Up Leaves Faster

Your yard needs to be raked, blown, or mulched, bagged, and composted with all those fallen leaves. But how can you best deal with the carpet of autumnal hues that has been spread across your grass, sidewalk, driveway, and even your roof? Furthermore, how can you clean up leaves faster?

There are actually only a few ways you can remove leaves from your property. Raking, blowing, and mulching are among the most popular.

You can clean up leaves faster by using the correct tools, wearing proper safety gear, and checking the weather beforehand. If you try to rake after a heavy rain, the leaves will be heavy and hard to move. If you leaves wet leaves on your lawn, you’re inviting mold and other diseases to take over.

Wear tennis shoes or boots with traction to prevent falls. Leaves can become slippery, especially if they’re damp. Wearing protective gloves will keep your hands from blistering and help you move more quickly. Wear a hat if it’s cold and sunglasses if you need to. The more comfortable you are, the faster you will work.

Why should I clean up leaves?

It is necessary to clean up fallen leaves, as if those leaves are left on your lawn, they will prevent sunlight from getting to the grass, which can cause diseases like snow mold. Check out this list published by Texas A&M that lists and gives information about common lawn diseases.

When you keep up with regular, full service lawn care, it is easy to nip any lawn care problems in the bud. This includes anything from bare spots in your lawn to pests and diseases.

How to clean up leaves faster

• Raking
• Blowing
• Mulching lawn mower
• Gather leaves in mower grass catcher bag
• Use a tarp

Raking

Leaf raking is back-straining work, but it will remove those leaves from your yard along with twigs, grass clippings, and anything else. Pick a rake with an ergonomic grip and a lightweight design to make raking easier. The strain on your shoulders and back will increase if your leaf rake is uncomfortable to hold and use, making leaf removal more difficult than it has to be. Ensure that the leaf rake has a wide end. You may gather more leaves with each sweep if your rake is wider.

Blowing

Blowing leaves through a leaf blower is arguably the quickest and one of the best ways to get rid of leaves. Generally, leaf blowers are easy to use but extremely noisy in most cases. It is always recommended to use it only in the afternoon or very late morning to avoid annoying your neighbors by waking them up on a Saturday morning.

Start out by blowing the leaves into a pile. Eventually you will have to get out your rake to facilitate the removal part, but using a blower will substantially lessen your work time.

Mulching lawn mower

If you have a mulching lawn mower, fall is the best time to unhook it. It’s not necessary to remove all of the leaves from your lawn before you mow. In fact, mowing over the leaves can produce an organic mulch that is nutrient-rich and gives your lawn natural fertilization during the fall and winter.

To make good mulch, you should chop your leaves into bits about the size of a penny. You’re done when there is around half an inch of grass visible above the mulched layer of leaves. Take care to do this before there are too many leaves. An excess amount will cause heavy thatch to build-up.

Gathering leaves in a mower grass catcher bag

For leaf removal, consider attaching a bag system to your lawnmower. This makes the operation simpler as you can take care of the leaves while you cut the grass. Leaves tend to stick together and take up more space in your bags than shredded grass, so dump them when they get full.

Use a tarp

You can use a tarp to transport dead leaves from your lawn. Whether you are using a rake or a leaf blower, try using them alongside a tarp to make cleanup easier. Begin cleaning your lawn from the farthest left-hand corner and start guiding the leaves into a pile on a tarp near the edges.

Once you push the leaves onto a tarp, it will take only a few minutes to clean up and dispose of the clippings. Fold the tarp over the leaves and carefully drag it away while holding it tightly together.

What should I do with all the leaves?

Regardless of what leaf cleanup method you choose, don’t push the leaves to the curb for pickup. Consider falling leaves as gold for your garden. Leaf mold, also known as semi-rotting leaves, is rich in nutrients and enriches your soil significantly with organic matter.

By simply piling all of your leaves together and allowing them to sit for a year or so, you may easily create leaf mold. The pile’s bottom will start to decompose first and can be utilized as mulch or a soil amendment.

Incorporating a mulch of any kind is beneficial to your plants and flowers. If you can’t imagine keeping your leaves for over a year while you wait for them to decompose, call Ryno Lawn Care and get on our schedule for a mulch installation service.

Wrapping up how to clean up leaves faster

Leaf removal is an essential aspect of autumn yard maintenance that also creates enduring family memories. Choose any of the above-mentioned methods that suit you best to clean up leaves.

Or simplify things and leave it to the pros. Call Ryno Lawn Care today for information about our leaf removal service.

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