Many homeowners are afraid of falling leaves. Scraping and packing can be a tedious task that
lasts for hours. Leaves offer more than just fall beauty. It can provide the thinking gardener with a
way to grow sturdy, beautiful flowers and plants.

Leaves and grass

 Leaves in your garden are generally not a problem, but leaves in your lawn can be a problem if not
handled properly.

Layers of leaves on a lawn can also look pretty in the fall. And honestly, it will save you the trouble
of scraping them together. However, if leaves cover your lawn, they can suffocate it.

Grass needs sunlight to produce nutrients. Covering your lawn with leaves blocks sunlight. After
covering your lawn for a few days, you may notice yellow blades of grass. Grass that has been covered for more than a few days does more than just turn yellow. Leaves act as Mother Nature’s blanket to retain moisture. It turns your front yard into a petri dish. This creates the perfect environment for mold to grow.

The moral of the story is that a few leaves are not a bad thing. Be sure to pick it up before you end up with a big moldy blanket.

Three natural fertilizers

If you’re a gardener, don’t think of leaves as your enemy, but as Mother Nature’s windfall. The
leaves provide an almost magical sight in the fall and are the perfect natural fertilizer.

You can purchase expensive fertilizers from your local gardening center or receive a gift from
Mother Nature. You don’t have to do any more than you already do to compost your leaves.

Leave the leaves alone and stir them a few times with a lawnmower. Cut the leaves with the blade
of a lawn mower. The leaf confetti then rise between the grass blades and onto the soil.

Make your own mulch

Mulch is expensive, and anyone who has had to unload it from a bag or truck will tell you that it’s
a struggle. Fortunately, there are free ways to make your own mulch without breaking your back.
To make your own mulch, simply mix grass clippings and chopped leaves. Filling your lawn with
leaves you already have is a great way to mix up your DIY mulch.

Mixing this natural combination provides free, non-damaging mulch when spread around tree
rings. It also has a water-resistant, nutrient-rich ground cover.

Strengthen the soil

Fertile soil can give life to beautiful flowers and colorful, delicious vegetables.

First, dig a trench around your flowers or vegetables. Create a trench 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep.
Next, fill your gutters with the pesky leaves you want to get rid of. If the pieces of grass you’ve
already cut are mixed in with the leaves, you’ll be ahead of the game. If not, try mixing up your
lawn mowing tasks.

Don’t underestimate lawn mowing. They provide nitrogen, which helps break down the leaves,
allowing the plant to better absorb nutrients. If you don’t have grass clippings, mix fertilizer with
nitrogen. It should have the same effect.

However, if you add fertilizer, be sure to use only fertilizer. The final step is to cover the trench
with excavated soil and water the area thoroughly. The best thing about this trick is that you can
repeat it as often as you need. Once you have collected more leaves, you can start digging another
trench.

Prevent weeds from growing

As mentioned earlier, the layers of leaves act as Mother Nature’s blanket. If you have open space
in your garden and are concerned about weeds, it may be a good idea to place a blanket of leaves.
Simply sprinkle a generous number of remaining leaves over the area you want to weed.

The leaves block sunlight and prevent weeds from sprouting. Once the weather warms up, you can
use the leaves as mulch or compost and set your plants up for a spectacularly successful growing
season.

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