Fall is in the air but the leaves are on the ground

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Now that Oklahoma is experiencing cool, crisp mornings, warm, sunny days and back to cool in the evening, it is a sure bet the fall season has arrived. If you have any doubts, just take a quick glance outside and the signs of fall are everywhere. Pumpkins are decorating the landscape, along with other fall decorations such as scarecrows and corn stalks.

Another sure sign fall has arrived is all of the leaves on the lawn, said David Hillock, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension consumer horticulturist.

“For years, many people simply raked and bagged the leaves before hauling them to the landfill. Unfortunately, bagged leaves don’t do much more than take up valuable landfill space. However, there are much better options for homeowners,” Hillock said.

Leaves can be a valuable resource. Instead of raking and bagging, put them to good use. One of the easiest things to do is simply rake the leaves into your perennial beds to use as a nice winter mulch. Try to avoid raking large leaves, such as sycamore, as too many could possibly suffocate your plants. Stick to small leaves.

For those who are into composting, add the leaves right along with your other garden plant material.

“What’s great about composting leaves is you don’t need a special compost bin to do this. It can be as easy as digging a hole behind your garage or other inconspicuous place and filling it with the leaves and other compost materials,” he said.

One of the fastest ways to rid your yard of fall leaves is to mow them. The chopped leaves return valuable organic matter and nutrients to the soil. Try to stay on top of this task so the leaves don’t get too deep in your yard and bog down the mower.

If you use a mower with a bag attachment, Hillock suggests capturing the chopped leaves and distributing them throughout your landscape as needed.

“Gardeners can use the chopped leaves for mulch or compost fodder,” he said. “You can even work them into the soil in your vegetable garden.”

If your landscape is larger and features a lot of trees, you may feel overwhelmed with the amount of leaves on the ground. If this is the case, consider buying or renting a vacuum-shredder. This is more effective than just blowing them around with a blower. Vacuum-shredders suck up the leaves, chop them and then collect them into a bag. Use the chopped leaves as described above. Keep in mind shredders, blowers and choppers work well only when the leaves are nice and dry. If they are too wet, they will just clog the machine.

“Although the amount of leaves may seem overwhelming, keep in mind they can be a valuable resource for your landscape,” Hillock said.