Raking Leaves in the Fall: 4 Big Reasons Why You Need to Rake Leaves

Autumn leaves stand out beautifully, but eventually, they can become a mess on your lawn once they fall. Fall clean-up of leaves is not an activity most homeowners look forward to. Some homeowners wonder if it is even necessary to rake leaves.  Raking leaves in the fall is important, here are 4 big reasons why you need to rake leaves in the fall:

Raking Leaves in the Fall: Why Should I Rake My Leaves?

Most lawns in the Northern U.S. include one or more cool-season grasses. “Cool-season” lawn grasses are most active during moderately cool weather. Fall is one of those times. The amount of sufficient sunlight, nutrients, water, and cool temperatures make cool-season grasses revitalize themselves in fall. Raking your leaves in the fall can help maintain your lawn’s health. Here are the reasons why I should rake my leaves in the fall:

1. Turf Protection

Your lawn needs a constant supply of sunlight, water, air, and nutrients. Raking leaves off of your yard allows it to breathe and absorb moisture for the grassroots. Unraked leaves slowly form a wet barrier, which causes widespread damage to the grass. Removing the leaves allows your grass to grow lush before winter arrives.

2. Keep Pests Away

Unraked leaves can harbor and hide insects and rodents – including ones that are a significant threat during the winter.

3. Lawn Disease Prevention

Fallen leaves often harbor lawn diseases, including snow mold disease. If you receive a heavy snowfall before the ground has completely frozen, snow mold is likely to occur. All that moisture, fallen leaves, long grass, and lawn debris can promote snow mold growth and spread throughout your lawn. Raking leaves in the fall, though, can reduce the diseases you encounter the following spring and summer.

4. Allow Your Lawn to Breathe

Your lawn needs to “breathe.” Lawns can develop a layer of thatch, an accumulation of decaying stems and leaves. If the thatch grows thicker than 1 inch, it forms a barrier that prevents sunlight, water, oxygen, and nutrients from reaching the grassroots, causing suffocate grassroots, preventing new grass growth, and stress the entire turf area.

Tee Time Tips: Continue to mow your lawn until the first frost. This will keep the grass strong and healthy. Also, if your yard is near a drain, check for leaves. Clumps of wet leaves after heavy rain can prevent drainage, which can flood your yard.

Raking Leaves in the Fall: Do Not Wait to Rake Your Leaves

It is important to rake the fallen leaves off the ground immediately. By raking your leaves, you are preventing fungus, potential disease, and grass dying from suffocation. 

Dread yard work or do not have the time this season? Tee Time’s landscape maintenance includes leaf and debris removal from lawn areas, plant areas, decks, and patios. Our team can provide you with bush trimming and pruning, re-edging, and more. We would be happy to get your landscape back into shape and give the care and attention it needs to flourish. For more information, contact Tee Time or use the nearby quote form.

*Landscaping is currently only being offered in Plainfield and the Chicagoland area.