How do you deal with your tree's fallen leaves?

[sparkeyjames]

How do you deal with your leaf crop? Personally I hate the things and wish there was a switch on the side of the tree I could throw so they all came down at once. I have two maple tree's that give me a seemingly endless fall supply. I wish I could afford a power mower style leaf vacuum but have to do it with a B&D combo leaf blower vac. Takes about 20-28 bags to clear my property. Hate is not too strong a word.

[Mr__Bill]

We have pine trees..... I'll take leaves any day over the needles.




Bill
Oh boy looks like it may stop raining in time for the trick-or-treaters tonight

[Kerf]

Takes about 20-28 bags to clear my property. Hate is not too strong a word.

And when you think you're done....the wind blows all the leaves from your next door neighbor who never rakes.

I use a hand held craftsman blower and some big big plastic bags that that come as a cover for the pellet fuel I use to heat my house, load my truck and drop at the transfer station, I just need to empty the bags once I'm there, since no plastic is allowed. Each of those bags cover I ton (50 40lb bags) of pellet fuel, and I use 5 or 6 bags.

I always tell my kids: "Raking leaves is fun!!!!!" ... (Not!)

[Woodwerker]

My neighbors rake every single day...
I wait till the leaves fall then do it all in one day!

[Daryl]

I usually use my mower and chop them up. Really cuts down on number of bags and the chopped leaves compost easier

[Kristofor]

I just mow over them with the mower set very short. This grinds up the leaves into small pieces that settle into the lawn, and by having the shortest grass around subsequent leaves, or those from the neighbor, just blow away.

Of course, our neighborhood is only ~8 years old so the trees aren't 100' jobbers yet. At some point this process will not be up to the increased volume of leaves, but that's a problem for next decade

[Richard in Smithville]

My inlaws had four great big maples in the front and around eight or nine cherriy trees out back. We used to help rake them up into a four foot wide, seven foot long, two foot deep trailer( and then it was over the top), tarp them and haul the trailer to my dads, where he would till them into his garden. By next spring they have broken down enough to blend with the previous years grass clippings. A lot of work but the garden was great. Dad was retired so he had loads of time.

[tommyt654]

I just blow mine into piles and then haul them down to the garden spot on a large tarp and throw lime and fert on them and till them into the garden in spring

[Hoakie]

i just mow over them with the mower set very short. This grinds up the leaves into small pieces that settle into the lawn, and by having the shortest grass around subsequent leaves, or those from the neighbor, just blow away.

Of course, our neighborhood is only ~8 years old so the trees aren't 100' jobbers yet. At some point this process will not be up to the increased volume of leaves, but that's a problem for next decade

+1

[dbhost]

I leave them in the yard until I get the letter from the HOA, then I run the mower over them and mulch them in...

All kidding aside. I have 1 oak, 1 magnolia 2 Crepe Myrtles, and 2 LARGE pines. It stays warm enough here during the fall that while the leaves are shedding the grass still needs to be mowed. I keep my mower set to mulch year round, and so far it has worked VERY well for me.

The first year I owned the house I kept trying to rake up the leaves, honestly, I gave up and went to mulching because of...

A. It is a LOT easier.
B. My neighbors were doing it, and their grass is insanely green.

I have noticed that my lawn stays a LOT greener when I mulch instead of pick up...

The pine needles are another $#%@ story all together... I rake, sweep, and make sure no tender ears are near by to hear my expletives while the fire ants bite me trying to bag that junk up...

FWIW, My neighborhood was under development during the economic spurts starting in 1964, and ending the year my house was built, 1984. Rumor from the neighbor next door, who bought his house before mine was built, that the Oak in the back yard was there before the house was... And was already decent sized. It might be growth from the 1960s...

[smorris]

I use a leaf blower and push them all back to the base of the tree...then consider setting them on fire and laughing at the tree. Instead I just put them into bags, about 6-8 by the time I'm done.

As a youth I used to know it was truly fall by the smell when everyone was burning their leaves, of course we were WAY out in the country and no one cared what you did back them.

[L. D. Jeffries]

HAH! You ain't seen notten till you visit my place. On our 1-1/2 acre home site we have about 50 trees, maples, oaks and cherry as well as lots of ornamental shrubs. Leaves-LEAVES? I'm selling em' cheap or even free!

[twistsol]

Just raked up and took to the compost site all the leaves at my Mother in laws house this morning. It took 14 of us 3 hours and four trips with a trailer and pickup to get rid of all the leaves. I did the bulk of the work with the tractor and 72" lawn sweeper.

At our house I have about 40 trees with 12" or greater trunks that are in the lawn. Most are black walnut but we have oak and maple as well. The squirrels take care of the walnuts, we just mulch the leaves.

[phrog]

We have about 3/4 acres all wooded. Most of the trees are hickories and oaks although we have a few maples, pines and dogwoods. I would take maples any day over the oaks and hickories. The maple leaves are supple and lie down. They take up little room in the bags. Unfortunately, the oak leaves fall for about 9 months and are large, curled and crisp. They have to be mulched before putting in bags. I have spent several hours a week (weather permitting) for 9 months mulching and bagging. As many as 200 39-gallon bags to get rid of them. If anyone needs any, just let me know. Or I could just blow them into the neighbor's yard. He doesn't get his up until late spring and he probably wouldn't notice the difference.
Richard

[Zenaca]

We have a black walnut tree i pick up about 75 or 100 nuts for baking and cookies the rest go in the trash can. As for the leaves i just run the rear bag mower over them and deposit what i don't use for compost in the garden spot in the trash can along with the nuts. Anybody want to buy a couple of very slightly used leaf rakes? Because i don't plan on using the darn things any more!

Bud