How to Mulch Mower Leaves

Autumn leaves bring vibrancy and color to your landscape. As late autumn approaches, however, these brightly colored leaves turn brown and fall to the ground. This covering blocks essential sunlight from getting to your grass, which it needs during the dormant period to stay alive. Removing fallen leaves from your lawn is essential to maintaining a healthy bed of grass throughout the year. Your leaves can either be mulched straight into the lawn or kept as compost to feed your garden in the spring.

Lawn rake
Mulching mower with bagging attachment
Pitchfork
Work gloves
Safety glasses
Hearing protection

Instructions

- 1
  Use the lawn rake to pull the leaves into the yard from around the edges of the property and other obstructions, such as trees or mulch beds. Survey your lawn and remove any debris that may damage your mower.
- 2
  Lift each of the wheels on your mower to its highest setting. Check each of the lift levers to be sure that they are securely locked in place. Start your mower.
- 3
  Mow over the leaves in a circular pattern. Keep the discharge part of your mower pointed toward the center of your lawn at all times to insure the safety of others in case the bagging attachment comes loose during mowing. Empty your bagging attachment into your compost pile periodically during mowing.
- 4
  Turn your compost pile with a pitchfork every week throughout the winter months. Add table scraps to the pile, being sure to exclude meat scraps from the mix. Stop adding scraps while continuing to turn the pile at the beginning of February.
- 5
  Cover your garden beds with the compost in the spring and let it remain on the beds untouched for at least 1 week before planting.

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