Keep fallen leaves on your property when you can put them to work. Shred a thin layer into the lawn, move some to beds or add them to a compost pile. The aim is to keep air and light reaching the grass and avoid smothering smaller plants under a thick mat. Rake up what you cannot break down in place.
Mow leaves while the lawn is still visible
When leaves are scattered lightly enough that you can still see grass between them, a mower can chop them into small pieces that settle down into the turf. If the pieces sit in a dense layer afterward, collect some and use them elsewhere. Trying to grind up a deep pile all at once is harder on both the mower and the lawn. Our post on mowing fallen leaves goes into that approach in more detail.
Watch the weather, too. Damp leaves are more likely to clump, and leaves stuck over a drain or path can cause trouble regardless of what they might do for your soil. Clear those areas first, then decide what to shred. There is no need to treat every leaf in the yard in exactly the same way.
Move the extra leaves to beds or compost
The original article suggested using shredded leaves around shrubs and perennials. Spread them loosely over bare soil, leaving plant crowns and woody stems clear rather than packing wet leaves against them. A layer can cover soil through colder weather and gradually break down. If the bed is already heavily mulched, you may have a better use for the leaves in the compost pile; mulch basics explains what an organic covering does in a bed.
Leaves supply the dry, brown part of a compost mix. Add green material such as suitable grass clippings when you have it, and turn or mix the pile if it becomes a compact, wet mass. You do not need to keep a pile “simmering” to make use of leaves; even a slower pile will change over time. Keep out material you do not want to spread back into the garden.
There is room for fun before all that sorting. The old post suggested a pile to jump in and even orange bags filled for Halloween decoration. When the season is over, the leaves can still go into a bed or compost pile. Where local collection is the practical choice for a surplus, follow its rules rather than letting excess leaves block grass, walkways or drainage. For more seasonal yard work, see leaves and more leaves.
