KANSAS CITY, Mo. - When leaves start falling we definitely need to get rid of them.
Tree leaves shade the grass stopping photosynthetic activity.
Thicker layers of leaves can smother and thin or completely kill the lawn. For optimum grass health it is critical to remove the tree leaves.
The easiest and cheapest way is to use your mower and mulch them into the turf. University studies have proven that mulching tree leaves into the grass will not harm a healthy lawn and does not change soil PH, and does not cause thatch.
In Fall, mulching tree leaves over the year will improve heavy clay soils. But remember this, a sharp mower blade mulches leaves better, dry leaves are easier to mulch, and don't try to mulch too many leaves at once.
One exception. If you have a lot of trees and thin grass, you don't want to mulch the leaves.
