Will Grass Grow Under Mulched Leaves?

Shredding the Leaves

• Use a rotary mower with sharp blades to go over dry leaves three or four times to adequately pulverize the leaves. To achieve finely shredded leaves, push the rotary mower slowly through the leaves on the ground. The mower should be set at the correct height for your turf grass. For example, Kentucky bluegrass should be mowed to a height of 2 to 2 1/2 inches.

Spreading the Leaves

• Spread your mulched leaves over the yard with a spring-tined rake. Leaves should not entirely cover the grass blades. Break up clumps of leaves on the lawn. Leaving clumps of leaves in areas encourages fungal diseases, especially if these areas are shady. Grass growing in shade needs as much sunlight as possible. Water the yard with 1 inch of water or plan on spreading your leaves before a rainfall.

Fertilizer

• Apply fertilizer to the lawn to help the decomposition of leaves. Spread 1 1/2 lbs. of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet as part of your fall fertilization program. Typically, lawns are fertilized in the fall with a fertilizer that has an NPK ratio of 3-1-2. Split the fertilizer in half and apply horizontally over the lawn. Apply the rest of the fertilizer vertically to achieve an even coverage. Water the lawn after applying the fertilizer.

After Care

• Mow your leaves on the lawn with the rotary mower three to four days after their initial application. Leaving wet leaves on the ground without moving them around encourages reduced air flow and lawn diseases. If yards have too many leaves to mulch a fine layer into the grass, store your leaves in a dry place to use. You may use a storage bin with a container or keep leaves in garbage bags. Allow the existing leaves to fully decompose into the yards.

Excessive Leaves

• Some landscapes consists of numerous deciduous trees that drop their leaves in the fall. If leaves completely cover your lawn to the point where you cannot shred them nor see the grass, remove the leaves. Excess leaves covering grass contributes to thatch buildup. In addition, grass has a difficult time receiving enough air and sunlight for healthy growth when under leaves. You can mulch them and store excess leaves for applying on the lawn later during the year.