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Leaves and other yard debris account for about 13% of what ends up in municipal dumps.
Photo Credit: iStock
Don’t worry about bagging leaves this fall. Instead, shred leaves where they are with a lawnmower to save hours on raking, boost yard health, and minimize waste.
According to Good Housekeeping, mowing fallen leaves into small pieces can discourage weeds like crabgrass and dandelions, hold moisture in the ground, and improve soil structure.
It’s a great way to minimize lawn upkeep, maintain healthy soil with less fertilizer, and reduce water use since the soil stays moist longer. Keeping weeds down is another benefit for anyone trying to make yard care easier.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, leaves and other yard debris account for about 13% of what ends up in municipal dumps. Mulching them on the property instead of sending them away helps keep that material out of landfills. Fewer leaf piles at the curb can also lower safety risks and reduce the taxpayer-funded expense of municipal collection.
Experts in Good Housekeeping’s Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab advise removing the bag before starting. A mower with a mulching mode can then cut the leaves into finer pieces, which lets them decompose faster.
It can also help to raise the mower deck to about 5 inches so the machine can travel more easily over thicker leaf cover. Before mowing, pick up large sticks, rocks, and other debris to avoid damaging the equipment.
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Some lawns may need a few passes to break everything down, and very deep accumulations can be raked out a bit first. It is best to mow once rain has passed and heavy dew has dried.
Mulching leaves in place can help build healthier soil naturally, and it pairs well with other low-chemical yard practices such as controlling weeds without chemicals.
This way, leaf cleanup can take less time, produce less waste, and reduce yard maintenance.
These stories explain how to mulch leaves, when to leave them in place, and how to use mulch around the yard.
• Fall gardeners keep nutrients on-site by turning leaves into free fertilizer for beds instead of bagging them.
• In many yards, it is better to leave leaves through winter for habitat and soil.
• Backyards become a microcosm of biodiversity when leaves stay put for insects and birds.
• Homeowners can do the planet a favor by skipping unnecessary leaf removal in fall.
• Organic gardeners avoid common mistakes by using mulch the right way around soil and plants.
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© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

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