Discussion » Questions » Home and Garden » Why do people rake or blow leaves from their lawns? I leave (no pun intended) them on mine to decompose.
Element 99

Why do people rake or blow leaves from their lawns? I leave (no pun intended) them on mine to decompose.

Once decomposed, they provide nutrients for the grass and food for the earthworms, which are in turn, eaten by birds. This is not my lawn.

Posted - November 17, 2021
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Responses


  • 6023
    They do it because it doesn't look as nice as a "clean" lawn.

    Of course, around here, they rake/blow the leaves into the road ... which turns the road to a mess and is a traffic hazard.
    Large piles of leaves with unknown obstacles below.  Or wet leaves creating slick roads (really bad when they freeze).

    I leave them because I'm too lazy to keep up with clearing them.  lol
      November 17, 2021 7:28 AM MST
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  • 44617
    Our city sweeps them from the street and makes a huge mulch pile. If they freeze first after a snowfall...beware. My wife hit a pile once and it damaged her car.
      November 17, 2021 8:09 AM MST
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  • 6023
    Our city is supposed to do that, on the same schedule as the trash days ... but it seems as if the equipment is always broke down, or they can't do it for some other reason.

    There's at least one neighborhood where the residents create a large pile it in the street and hire someone to take it away.

    Of course, the other problem with the city not clearing the leaves from the streets is that they clog the drains so the streets flood during rain storms.  This results in lots of sarcasm about why our buses say "River City Transit".
      November 17, 2021 9:00 AM MST
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  • 19937
    Because they're ignorant.  
      November 17, 2021 7:47 AM MST
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  • 10639
    or that they've learned (the hard way) that removing them is a lot cheaper than leaving them.
      November 17, 2021 11:39 AM MST
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  • 19937
    If fallen leaves become mulch, why would it be more expensive to leave them?  Yes, they should be raked up from the sidewalks and removed from sewer grates, but when they are on a lawn, they should stay there.

    EDIT:  I just saw your explanations.  Thanks. This post was edited by SpunkySenior at November 17, 2021 4:11 PM MST
      November 17, 2021 3:05 PM MST
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  • 10639

    Leaves do make good compost.  However, winter brings rains and rains mats leaves together (especially in shady areas).  So if leaves are left on a lawn ...

    ...they can block light from reaching the grass.  Like any other plant, grass needs light to survive.  If leaves are left on too long, the grass will turn yellow and eventually die.  Any tufts that can find light will survive, but you'll have a patchy lawn come spring.

    ...  they can smother the lawn.  Plants need air to survive just like we do.  Leaves, especially wet ones, act like a blanket, smothering the grass beneath them.   

    ... they can attract bugs.  These bugs can attract bigger pests (and I don't mean just the homeowners association).   They can attract gophers and moles.

    ... they allow molds and fungi to develop.   While some of these are beneficial (they're helping to break down the leaves), some can kill the grass, or spread to places you don't want them (rose bushes, flower gardens, etc.).   

    ... they can be dangerous.  Wet leaves are slippery - even on grass.   Someone can walk on them and slip.  If it's you, it's very "inconvenient".  But if it's someone else, you may be held responsible for their medical bills (which could result in the raise of the cost of your homeowners insurance).



    So not removing leaves from a lawn could result in spending more money in the long run.  

    While small trees probably won't produce enough leaves to worry about, large trees can.  If you have an oak nearby, the leaves will incubate the acorns, and come spring you'll have a  bunch of tiny oak trees in your lawn (and although they only have 1 root they're hard to pull out).


    Oh, and raking a lawn helps to dethatch it.  Blowing doesn't. 






    This post was edited by Shuhak at July 2, 2024 7:03 PM MDT
      November 17, 2021 11:37 AM MST
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  • 17596
    I felt the same way when we lived in a house.  Hubs would usually go ahead and rake them and bag them up.  To me, needless work.
      November 17, 2021 4:51 PM MST
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  • 1305
    I rake them up, put them in a bag, poke holes in the bag, let them rot down, nice fluffy compost next year.
      November 19, 2021 3:01 PM MST
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