aroundtheyard.com Forums

I have 2 areas on my lawn right now with pretty heavy leaves. I blow them around a little bit to try and even though out across the yard, but for the most part they are concentrated in these 2 areas.

In any case, I'm starting to mow lower on the yard in general (3" or a notch lower), but should I mow higher in the leaf areas? Or just keep mowing low?

I've tested both and can't really tell if there's a difference (which basically answers my own question), but just wondering if there's a general thought/logic in this.

I have a mulch kit on my JD X330 48" which does an ok but not great job as the leaves are coming down faster than I can keep up.

I googled it and found mixed answers.

Thank you.

Either, as your observation confirms, is fine. I've done both and never noticed a difference, so I can't personally recommend any difference in either mowing strategy.

I leave my deck high even in fall and winter (3.75"), and the leaves mulch just fine. Back when I cut low, the leaves mulched just fine.

So QED on that one.

Understood, thanks.

I unfortunately have to go over my yard twice...so I mow twice so start high and then lower it..as my mower won’t finely mulch with 1 pass.

The leaves don't seem to care.

Where I have to go twice--not much or often due to the winds here, but every now and again I get a clear leaf drop on a still day and run out to mow them before they disappear--I do both at the same height.

It seems to work, but I guess it might work better high and low? I might give that a shot the next time.

Start mowing high and if that doesn't work, mow lower. My experience with Live Oak leaves is that you have to mow at near the mower's lowest setting to mulch them. Live Oak leaves are about 3/4 inch long, so at the high setting, there's nothing to grab onto.

I find that the lower my deck height is, the finer the mulch and less clumping i get.

Could just be my mower though...

I just mow at whatever height is appropriate for the grass, and the leaves get mulched up just fine from that height...

ken-n-nancy, if the leaves are as big as your hand, then yes. When the leaves are the size of your fingernail, that doesn't work. Live oak leaves are not fragile enough to be chopped unless they are held down/captured between something solid and the moving blade. Tall grass is not solid enough to hold them.