Leave it to Us
Leave it to us is about the leaves on trees that won’t last much longer. Even though it’s December, there are still leaves on trees. I’m looking out my front window at the Bradford Pear tree in the front yard. It’s still full of leaves, but there’s a wind advisory tonight, so we’ll see.
My next-door neighbor lost her mother the day after Thanksgiving. She’s single and doesn’t have a lot of help. She’s also a great neighbor. Her front yard adjoins mine and was piled high with leaves. I have a mulching blade on my mower, so it was no problem for me to “mow” her leaves. She sent me a text telling me she had family coming in from out of town and couldn’t thank me enough for making her yard look beautiful.
Leave it to Us
I’m sharing this because when I say leave it to us, I mean leave it to Berger Hargis. Our commercial and residential crews have been busy cleaning up leaves. For large areas like an apartment complex, they may blow the leaves into piles and then mulch them with mowers as I did for my neighbor (and my yard too.) For smaller areas, such as my yard, the crews usually bring leaf vacuums and then haul away the leaves.
Why Not Just Leave the Leaves?
That’s a good question. First, a lawn full of decaying leaves isn’t very attractive. Like my neighbor said, her lawn looks beautiful now, and secondly, it can cause damage to your lawn.
“In late fall, leaf removal from lawns and landscapes is a common maintenance activity for homeowners. This season’s warmer fall temperatures have increased the period for completing this chore before winter. But don’t delay. Heavy leaf debris allowed to remain on lawns during winter can cause thinning of the turf by preventing light from reaching the leaves, reducing or blocking photosynthesis for turf plants growing under the debris. Lawns with heavy leaf debris remaining on the turf through winter are also more susceptible to snow mold, a winter fungal disease, which can cause damage to turf.” — Purdue University.
Will Mulching Leaves into the Lawn Cause Problems?
Using a mower with a mulching blade to mulch the leaves into your lawn isn’t harmful. It’s beneficial. You may have to go over the leaves more than once, so it can be tedious, but it’s good for the lawn. I mowed my neighbor’s yard twice to clear the piles of leaves.
“A study by Michigan State University indicates that mulching is 100 percent beneficial for the lawn. Mulched leaves are decomposed by earthworms and microorganisms and turned into plant-usable organic matter. Mulched leaves are better for the greater community, too, because they stay on-site and out of landfills.” — The Spruce
Should Leaves Be Burned?
Burning leaves is dangerous and illegal in many areas to burn leaves.
“With large quantities of leaves blowing around their yards, some people may be tempted to resort to the old-fashioned and effective method of burning.
However, in addition to being illegal in many areas, leaf burning leads to air pollution and is a health and fire hazard. The smoke from burning leaves contains a number of toxic and/or irritating particles and gases. The tiny particles contained in smoke from burning leaves can accumulate in the lungs and stay there for years.” — B. Rosie Lerner — Purdue Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist.
Burning leaves is a mistake I made a few years ago. Here’s my story, Falling Leaves, a Fire Pit, and a Fireman
How Can We Help You?
Berger Hargis has a company philosophy of providing personal excellence for all our services. Our growth and success have been due entirely to our commitment to honest, excellent customer service. The company is built on the referral business we have received due to this philosophy.
So, if we can answer any questions about landscaping or help you with your leaves – leave it to us. Please don’t hesitate to Contact Us.
About the Author
Randy Clark is a speaker, coach, and author. He publishes a weekly blog at Randy Clark Leadership.com. Randy is passionate about social media, leadership development, and flower gardening. He’s a beer geek, and on weekends he can be found fronting the Rock & Roll band Under the Radar. He’s the proud father of two educators; he has four amazing grandchildren and a wife who dedicates her time to helping others. Randy is the author of the Amazon bestseller The New Manager’s Workbook, a crash course in effective management.
Go Back
