Fall foliage may be beautiful to look at, but think twice before you allow it to accumulate on your lawn.  If you don't keep up with leaf removal, a blanket of leaves can suffocate your grass and block it from getting the sunlight, water and nutrients it needs.  A good rule of thumb is that if you can't see your lawn through the leaves, it can't grow.

Proper leaf cleanup will give your grass enough room to breathe and help it come back healthier in the spring.  Remove thick layers of leaves - especially those that are heavy and matted from rainfall - before they damage your lawn.

MTD offers a variety of leaf removal equipment, including blowers and chipper shredder vacuums.  In addition to our reliable products, take advantage of these leaf removal tips to simplify your fall lawn care.  Before you begin, be sure to pick up any rocks or other materials in your yard that could damage your leaf removal equipment.

Leaf removal with a blower

Using a leaf blower is one of the quickest ways to clear your yard.  Leaf blowers  from MTD will help you get all your debris in one place, making it easier to rake, bag and prepare for pickup.  For simpler leaf removal, use a blower with a vacuum feature that will collect and bag the debris for you.

Leaf cleanup and recycling

 If you only have a light scattering of leaves in your yard, you can use your MTD Lawn Mower to bag most of them.  Or, if you have a mulching mower, you can pass over your lawn until they are finely chopped.  Instead of bagging and disposing of the mulched leaves, you can leave them on your grass.  In addition to saving you the work of leaf removal, keeping the mulched leaves on your lawn will allow your grass and soil to absorb nutrients and organic matter.  This fortification will help your lawn survive the winter months and improve its appearance in the spring. 

For heavier leaf fall, you should use equipment that was designed for leaf cleanup.  A chipper shredder vacuum sucks up, shreds and bags leaves in one easy step. An all-in-one shredder, vacuum and blower also mulches leaves as you go.  Once you've cleared the leaves, redistribute them over your lawn.  Just be sure that you can still see the grass through the layer of chopped leaves.

Composting your leaves

Another way to recycle your leaves is to use them to make compost.  After you've used your mower or leaf removal equipment to shred your leaves, put them in a pile or a composting bin.  Then, mix in a source of nitrogen, such as grass clippings, to accelerate the decomposition process.  You should keep the leaves damp and turn them every few weeks.

If you turn your leaves frequently, you can have compost in as little as three months.  How long it takes for leaves to decompose depends, in part, on the season.  Leaves decay more quickly in the summer than in the winter.  During the winter months, stop turning the leaves to prevent heat loss.  When your compost is ready, you can use it to fertilize your soil.  Before planting in the spring, use your garden tiller to mix your compost into your soil beds.

Leaf removal equipment parts

Properly maintaining your equipment will make your fall leaf cleanup easier and more efficient, so you can get back to enjoying the weather.  Rely on MTD for all the leaf removal equipment parts you need, including chipper shredder accessories, leaf blower parts and more.