As the Fall gradually passes, it leaves behind leaves as well as the pressure to clean those leaves. Everyone in the neighborhood starts to rake leaves off their lawns and backyards in preparation for winter. You might have wondered why this raking is so necessary that not doing it makes you seem calm. There are several opinions on what happens when you leave leaves in your backyard during winter. Some believe that leaves left on the lawn will promote mold, rot, and kill the grass. Some people say that those leaves will give the lawn nutrients. Here is what happens to the leaves.
Do Leaves Decompose During Winter?
Some people believe in leaving leaves in their backyards to decompose. The decomposing leaves lay on the ground throughout winter, but the trouble begins after winter. Once winter passes and new grass and plants start to grow, the leaves will block sunlight, preventing them from growing.
What Does More Happen To The Leaves After Winter?
The leaves left behind during winter will allow molds, gnats, and fungi to flourish once winter passes. The presence of these fungi, mildew, and gnats can affect your plants adversely. It also becomes more challenging to remove wet leaves after winter. It is better to clear leaves off the ground when they are dry.
Should You Remove All Leaves?
It may already seem to you like the best solution is to remove all leaves. This may be good for commercial premises. But it happens that when you remove all leaves, you also take away valuable fungi from the plants. This kind of fungi thrives by attaching to decomposing plant matter. The fungi exchange nutrients with plants and prevent other harmful bacteria and fungi from thriving.
Conclusion
Using a lawnmower to mulch up your leaves is the best solution. The tiny bits of leaves spread all over your backyard will be more beneficial to your plants. The leaves won’t remain piled all over the ground, allowing harmful organisms to fester. Those chopped bits of leaves will decompose more quickly and provide essential nutrients to the soil. Also, your plants and grass won’t be prevented from sprouting again when winter passes.
In case you have other questions about removing leaves from your backyard, GCS Outdoors can be of help. GCS Outdoors offers expert lawn care services that are beneficial to the environment. Contact GCS Outdoors today for assistance with those fall leaves scattered in your backyard!