Reply to Experts explain why you shouldn't rake your leaves

Forum Index » Environment, Weather, and Green Living

Reply to " Experts explain why you shouldn't rake your leaves"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I guess, eventually, the leaves will decompose.  For next Spring, you will have wet, clumpy leaves.[/quote]

If they are on your lawn mow them (but don't collect the clippings, do it bagless) and they will be chopped up so fine they'll decompose very quickly. Even if beds where I don't mow I don't find that they get too thick and clumpy. But even where they are in a layer they act as a mulch, and you need to mulch with brought-in mulch less. Its a win![/quote]

Correct. However, doing this also potentially kills off a lot of beneficial larvae/eggs of bugs, moths, and butterflies. We are trying to do away with the mulching in this manner and instead using hte whole leaves as well as mulch piles to decompose naturally. Since moving in that direction, we have noticed so many more species of moths and butterflies. Adding in native plants, eliminating wood mulch, and doing away with pest/herbicides and our yard has been so enjoyable to watch. Bees, butterflies, fireflies, hummingbirds, songbirds, etc. [/quote]

To clarify, many moths and other insects have larva that looks like leaves or lay their larva in leaves. That's what I mean by "killing off."[/quote]

Thank you for taking the time to write this. We leave the leaves so the butterflies, spiders, moths have a home for winter. Doug Tallemy is a gem teaching and encouraging nature in our back yards. For anyone with slightest interest in helping wildlife and nature, please see his work.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics