NJ Lawns Community

Paramus here - been raking my ass off for 3 weekends in a row now and I'm done. Every single year it's bag, drag to the curb, wait for bulk waste pickup that never comes on time, etc. I have a pretty standard KBG lawn (the whole front yard is contractor-installed from seed, probably 4 years old now) and I want to start mulching my leaves in place with my mower. My next-door neighbor keeps telling me I'll kill my grass and get brown patch but he's also the guy who hasn't aerated since 2015 sooo... what's the actual verdict? Can I do this or am I going to ruin my lawn? Looking for real advice not 'my grandmother always said' stuff.

Alright so I've been maintaining lawns in Bergen County for about 12 years now and I'll give you the straight answer: yes, you CAN mulch leaves into KBG, but there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. The main issue is you're not mulching leaves - you're shredding them into small pieces that filter down into the turf canopy where soil microbes can break them down. Key points: 1) Get the leaves OFF the grass before winter goes dormant - don't let them mat up, that's what causes the problems. 2) Run over them when they're dry, multiple passes if you have to. 3) I'm assuming you're using a mulching mower - if you've got a side-discharge you're just blowing them around anyway. One caveat - if you're sitting on 6 inches of leaves right now, mow in on a dry day, do half speed, you might need to blow off the clumps. I'd recommend Earthwise or Sun Joe electric mulchers if you haven't made the switch yet - Home Depot on Route 17 has good ones.

I'm going to push back a little here - your neighbor isn't totally wrong just wrong for the wrong reasons. I've been doing leave mulching for about 8 years in Ridgewood and here's what I've learned: it works GREAT in fall but you HAVE to stay on top of it. If those shredded leaves sit wet on KBG for weeks you're 100% going to get some crown rot issues come early spring, especially with our Bergen County clay soil that holds moisture forever. Also watch out for maples and oaks specifically - those leaves are really acidic as they break down. My suggestion would be to run over them weekly as they fall, don't wait for the big dump, and definitely throw a thin layer of compost on after your last mow around late November. That's what feeds the soil biology that breaks everything down in the first place.

Oh I SO feel this post lol. I did the raking thing for ONE year when we moved into our house in Rutherford and told my husband NEVER AGAIN. We have a tall fescue/KBG mix because our yard gets partial shade and I've been mulching leaves for 5 seasons now with ZERO issues. The trick nobody talks about is timing - you want to mow when the leaves are about 75% fallen and dryish, not wet, and definitely NOT after a frost because they'll be brittle and just fly everywhere. I use a Honda self-propelled mulcher (got it from DeFeo Landscape Supply in Englewood) and honestly the trick is making TWO passes minimum - first pass chews them up, second pass turns it all into almost dirt-like material. My soil tests have actually improved every year since I started too because the organic matter builds up! Bonus - I barely even buy fertilizer anymore.

Update - went out yesterday and gave it a shot on about half my front yard before dark. Used my regular Craftsman mulching blade (I know I should upgrade but whatever) and did two passes. Honestly? Looked better than I expected. The pieces were pretty fine after the second pass and they just kind of disappeared into the grass. SoilScientist - you were right about the dry part, day after we had no rain was perfect. I'm going to hit the back yard this weekend. Question for anyone who's done this for seasons though - how are you handling the weird transition zone between themulched area and my garden beds? I feel like I always get a buildup along theedges that ends up looking weird come spring.

Good thinking on testing first! That's smart. To your question about thetransition zones - the easy fix is just taking your blower and blowing any excess buildup into your beds or along the fence line. Those shredded leaves are actually great for ornamental beds as summer mulch once they break down a bit more, holds moisture and adds organic matter. If you've got a drop spreader, hit those areas with a light pass of profile or milorganite in late November when you're done and that'll speed up decomposition through winter. Come April you'll barely notice. Also definitely get yourself a new mulching blade if you're running that craftsman -Oregon makes good ones, $15-20 at any hardware store, sharp blades make ALL the difference.