Right here’s easy methods to deal with extra leaves in your garden this fall

I’ve numerous oak bushes on my property, and I’m already bored with cleansing up leaves. Are you able to supply any recommendation to cut back my work this fall?

— Sheila Trummer, Lake Bluff

Since you will have numerous bushes in your property, it is best to proceed mowing about as soon as per week now because the leaves begin falling extra quickly. As soon as each couple of weeks is probably going sufficient in early to mid-October until your grass is rising rapidly. A thick layer of leaves that covers the grass might smother the garden if left over the winter.

A medium to dense layer of leaves can injury any areas of the garden that had been seeded earlier this fall and are simply getting established. Fastidiously rake or blow a few of leaves off the brand new grass if the bottom is just too mushy to push a mower over. If the mower leaves ruts as you’re mowing, the realm shouldn’t be mowed.

I exploit a mulching mower for my garden — which has a number of mature oak bushes — all year long and I don’t gather any clippings. This protects numerous time and eliminates the necessity to get rid of the grass clippings and many of the leaves, whereas returning vitamins again to the garden. My grass is barely rising now however the leaf drop is growing so I plan to renew mowing about as soon as each 7 to 10 days to keep away from having the layer of leaves get too thick on the garden, lowering the effectivity of the mulching mower blades.

Change the route of mowing every time you mow. You need to be capable to simply see the blades of grass after you’re completed mowing for the season. Chances are you’ll want to wish to take away some leaves from the garden because of the excessive quantity of leaves that drop from massive oak bushes.

Raking leaves earlier than mowing or bagging the leaves as you mow will end in a extra manicured look to your garden. Leaves which were floor up decompose extra rapidly in a compost pile. My private choice is a extra pure look with some leaves on the garden and within the beds. I wait till spring to chop again perennials in my backyard whereas leaving leaves within the beds to function mulch. I don’t take away them in spring. Leaving the leaves in place supplies habitat for wildlife and bugs and a extra pure biking of vitamins. I don’t add mulch to any established beds in my backyard.

Once in a while, the leaves pile up too deeply within the borders and should be diminished to keep away from smothering perennials and bulbs. Extra leaves may be piled up in a nook to decompose, creating compost to make use of for future soil enchancment.

For extra plant recommendation, contact the Plant Info Service on the Chicago Botanic Backyard at [email protected]. Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture on the Chicago Botanic Backyard.