Benefits Of Raking Your Lawn
Have you ever wondered why grass doesn’t seem to grow easily when you have multiple trees in your yard? Especially here in Kent County, Maryland, where the air and ground hold moisture for long periods of time.
One of those reasons could be your ground is starving for nutrients due to densely packed wet leaves. That’s why raking the leaves in your yard is a great way to improve your lawn’s health and appearance.
If leaves are just left on the ground and pile up season after season, they aren’t able to break down quickly enough and begin to block sunlight from the ground, growing molds and other fungi that are harmful to your grass, trees, and other plantings.
Raking old leaves also loosens up grass that has been matted down and become thatch, which prevents other healthy grass from being able to take root and grow strong. Breaking up the matted grass is like taking a comb through unruly dog fur. It may take time, but it leads to a healthy lawn, or in the dog’s case, a healthy coat.
What To Do With All Those Leaves
Once you’ve finished raking, what do you do with all of them?
One thing we do not recommend is placing them in bags and sending them to the dump. Plastic bags are toxic to the environment, and the pile of leaves takes up much needed space in the landfills. Plus, leaves are actually a great natural fertilizer material if used correctly. For instance, you can use them for compost.
If composting isn’t for you, perhaps using your leaves as a mulch is something to consider. To do this, simply begin by raking your leaves into small piles. After you have several piles no more than 3-4 inches in height, wait until they are dry, and then run your lawn mower over them. This will cut them into tiny pieces that can be used as a mulch to help feed the lawn.
If neither of these ideas seems ideal to you, ask a few of your neighbors if they enjoy composting, and allow them to take advantage of the leaves for their own yards. They’ll be grateful, especially if they are avid gardeners. Either way, your grass will be thankful for the breath of fresh air.
Of course, if raking leaves is just not your cup of tea, give Happy Grass a call. Let us do the work for you. That’s our cup of tea.