The Rake or Mulch Debate
As fall continues, those beautiful fall colors end up all over your lawn. We’re talking about leaves! But just how should you clean up all the leaves on your lawn? Should you rake or mulch? Is one better?
Mulching Leaves
Mulching leaves is great for soil health. Leaves are generally nitrogen rich, and nitrogen is an important nutrient for a healthy lawn. To get the most benefit from mulching, you have to keep up with your lawn maintenance. Dry leaves mulch much better than wet leaves. Additionally, if there is too much leaf coverage, mulching is no longer a suitable option if you want a healthy lawn.
Mulching requires that you regularly maintain your lawn; sometimes 2-3 times a week to be sure that the leaves are adequately shredded. If leaves are not shredded into small enough pieces, they will not decompose quickly enough. Furthermore, an overabundance of leaves can lead to thatch buildup.
Thatch can build up if leaves are not reduced to a small enough size and/or too many leaves are mulched. If you have thick leaf coverage, mulching leaves will not be the best option for you.
Perfect for Mulching 
Multiple Passes Likely Needed 
Rake or Blow
Mulching leaves is great for soil and can often save time and even money. If you chose to much your leaves just be sure to mulch them as they fall. Letting leaves pile up will lead to issues if choosing to mulch.
Raking/Blowing Leaves
Raking leaves can be labor intensive and take a lot of time, but it could be the better choice for you. If leaves build up quickly in your yard, raking or blowing may be best for you. It is important to remove leaves when they become excess. Additionally, if your lawn has large amounts of pine needles or other debris, mulching will not help your lawn. Pine needles, acorns, pinecones and other debris do not mulch the same way leaves and grass do. Leaving these on your lawn or trying to mulch them will lead to damage.
Moreover, if you like you lawn to look clean, raking or blowing will suite you better. Even if you mulch the leaves, you will still be able to see them laying in the grass.
If you live close to a wooded area, you can likely just blow or rake the leaves into that area, so mulching may not save you any time.
Rake or Mulch: Decision
While it is not a one decision fits all, we would recommend mulching for MOST lawns. As long as you keep up with maintenance, there are a ton of benefits and the work can generally get done faster. However, anytime you have dense leaf coverage or other fall debris (e.g. sticks, pine needles, pinecones, etc.) be sure to run a rake or blower over the lawn.
Alternatively, you could invest in a lawn vacuum or debris loader to mulch AND remove the leaves from your lawn. You can then use the leaves to ‘fertilize’ other areas or for compost (if they are free of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides). Plus, you can have more control over the amount of leaves being spread over the lawn.
