Heads-Up: It's Time to Talk "Leaf Mulching"!

[PW405]

Ah. I thought you might be confusing a Vitex when you referred to an "obnoxiously large" butterfly bush dropping its leaves. The struggle you're having with your other tree reminds me of the struggle my folks in NC have with a willow oak.

Hi TimmyG - here's a link to the post for help identifying the tree I was referencing.

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=24599

[andy10917]

Please don't take this off-topic. Open a new thread if needed.

[Chris LI]

I remembered one of my mulching techniques today while mulching my front yard. Since a lot of leaves came down and I blew a whole lot from the curb line, I tried my "Zamboni" pattern. I worked several years as a night manager/Zamboni operator at a local ice rink, and started applying the ice resurfacing pattern a few years ago during heavy leaf fall. If you're not familiar with it, it's a series of overlapping straight/ovals (picture the shape of an Olympic track and field, track) after completing two perimeter passes. I use this pattern when I put my side discharge chute on the mower. This allows for heavy accumulations of leaves to be mulched and remulched across the lawn, and spreading the leaves somewhat evenly without bogging down the mower. Then I make back and forth passes perpendicular to the straight runs of the Zamboni pattern.

[andy10917]

I'm SO jealous - my life wish was to be a Zamboni driver.

[fun4me2]

I found that mulching the oak leaves that blow in my yard from my neighbor,
my 15+ yr old 10 HP, 5 speed, rear engine Craftsman riding mower/mulcher,
HOC at 2, then where the area has deeper leaves, putting it in reverse and going over the leaves again works great.
For even distributed leaf areas putting HOC at 3 and only going forward does a nice job!

[Fullheadofturf1234]

Anyone mow the leaves straight out of the street using a bag to be dumped on the lawn?

[Masbustelo]

I was going to, but it's raining here today.

[Fullheadofturf1234]

Neighbor across the street is filled with red and yellow leaves.
Dude is raking them into the street for city pickup!
What a crime!!!

[This is me]

This is what the rain and wind left me with this morning.


After two passes. Pockets of concentrated leaves.


My technique was mulching the leaves as it with the lawn tractor. Then use the blower to blow around the pockets of concentrated mulched leaves. Then run is over again as I’m moving the lawn.

[turf_toes]

My Buddy Rob lives in Frederick, MD. He reports that he saw some guy in a van driving around “stealing” bags of leaves people put out for collection.

[Chris LI]

My Buddy Rob lives in Frederick, MD. He reports that he saw some guy in a van driving around “stealing” bags of leaves people put out for collection.

He must be one of our members. Whoever you are, please 'fess up, and take your credit!

[TimmyG]

This is what the rain and wind left me with this morning.

That's just what I found in my pool this morning.

[Fullheadofturf1234]

Did another blow in from the street with a double pass.
First was at 2.5”
2nd was at 2.0”


Overall, not very happy with the leaf particle size left over.
I dont think its anything to do with horsepower or bladesharpness but rather suction.

On the second pass it looked like my mower was throwing the leaves around instead of sucking them up.

Someone reassure me it’ll be ok with slightly larger particles...
id say there about the size of an adult tip of the thumb.

[Chris LI]

Did another blow in from the street with a double pass.
First was at 2.5”
2nd was at 2.0”


Overall, not very happy with the leaf particle size left over.
I dont think its anything to do with horsepower or bladesharpness but rather suction.

On the second pass it looked like my mower was throwing the leaves around instead of sucking them up.

Someone reassure me it’ll be ok with slightly larger particles...
id say there about the size of an adult tip of the thumb.

What kind of mower? Does it have provisions for side discharging? If so, check out my post above. Also, what type of blade are you using; mulch, bag, side discharge, 2-in-1, 3-in-1? Changing the blade can make a big difference. Gator blades, or similar, tend to do a good job at leaf mulching and have enough suction to bag, if needed.

If you're in mulch mode and it kicks out one side more than the other (usually left), you can mow an inward spiral to corral the leaves and then mow straight through the pile.

[andy10917]

You're fine - go find a Nor'easter or something worthy of your attention. The leaves will disappear in a week.

Also, see Hint #6 in the Hints for Lawn Leaf Mulching thread.

[Fullheadofturf1234]

Did another blow in from the street with a double pass.
First was at 2.5”
2nd was at 2.0”


Overall, not very happy with the leaf particle size left over.
I dont think its anything to do with horsepower or bladesharpness but rather suction.

On the second pass it looked like my mower was throwing the leaves around instead of sucking them up.

Someone reassure me it’ll be ok with slightly larger particles...
id say there about the size of an adult tip of the thumb.

What kind of mower? Does it have provisions for side discharging? If so, check out my post above. Also, what type of blade are you using; mulch, bag, side discharge, 2-in-1, 3-in-1? Changing the blade can make a big difference. Gator blades, or similar, tend to do a good job at leaf mulching and have enough suction to bag, if needed.

If you're in mulch mode and it kicks out one side more than the other (usually left), you can mow an inward spiral to corral the leaves and then mow straight through the pile.

99 recycler with a gator blade.
Ill try the side discharge.

[llO0DQLE]

My Buddy Rob lives in Frederick, MD. He reports that he saw some guy in a van driving around “stealing” bags of leaves people put out for collection.

I don't have too many trees in my yard so this is what I do, lol. I also bag my leaves from my Swedish Columnar Aspens as they don't seem to dry up quick enough and don't mulch well. It also interferes with my checking the grass for top growth cessation to decide when to winterize as the leaves drop quite late. I'll just spread them in the spring and summer and mulch them then.

[andy10917]

Like many towns, my town has a Facebook "community group page", and lots of people are asking about leaf pickup schedules and related stuff about cleaning up leaves. I wrote a paragraph and linked to this posting, and it got a whole lot of attention - most people have no idea of the value of the leaves and how much easier it is!

[Chris LI]

Nice, Andy! Maybe some of those folks will try mulching, get "the lawn bug", and come over to ATY.

[kentster]

The wind is blowing hard in Southcentral PA today and it is clearing off most of the remaining leaves. I mulched a ton on Thursday ahead of heavy rains Friday. Most of that mulch was quickly "processed" by the microherd with help from the rain. Today, I'm looking at a fresh crop of leaves to mulch and may steal some from my neighbors while I'm at it. Funny, before ATY, I never got excited about falling leaves I just wish I had one of those sweeper attachments for the tractor, so I could move them all around more easily.