What To Do with Fallen Leaves on Your Lawn

As the seasons change, you’ll begin to spot more deciduous trees dropping their leaves. But as their collection of brown, orange and red leaves gathers in piles, it leads to one question for gardeners and landscapers: what to do with fallen leaves on my lawn?

We see this problem every autumn. Although fallen leaves can bring turf challenges, they can also bring lots of opportunities to help boost turf health. In this article, we’ll cover the pros and cons of leaf cover on your lawn. As well as our top tips to manage leaf fall this autumn, to protect and promote a healthy winter lawn.

Content Overview:

• Are fallen leaves good for your lawn?
• What happens if you don’t pick up leaves?
• How to remove falling leaves
• Do rotten leaves make a good fertiliser?
• Speak to the experts

Are Fallen Leaves Good for Your Lawn?

They can be. But depends on the types of leaves and how much of your lawn they’re covering. Small, thin leaves often decompose quickly, feeding your lawn rather than causing issues. They can also provide turf health benefits, such as:

• Natural insulation – a light layer of leaves acts as a mulch cover as it breaks down. This helps retain moisture in the soil and creates a protective surface as temperatures decrease.
• Increased organic matter – As leaves decompose, they become highly nutritious organic matter, which feeds your soil, aids soil structure and increases nutrient retention.
• A habitat for biodiversity – Fallen leaves create the perfect environment for worms, insects and good microorganisms that support the soil structure and ecosystems in your garden.

However, you can’t let your leaves get on top of you. This is when the benefits can become detrimental, causing you serious turf problems!

What Happens If You Don’t Pick Up Fallen Leaves?

If you leave leaves on your lawn, they will rapidly increase in density and lawn coverage. Too much leaf cover can lead to thick, wet leaf matting, resulting in big turf problems, such as:

• Grass smothering – Fallen leaves, once wet, tend to stick together. This creates a robust layer where oxygen cannot penetrate through to the turf, and carbon dioxide cannot escape – essentially preventing your natural grass from breathing.
• Reducing available sunlight – Turf relies on sunlight to survive. Thick piles of leaves block essential vitamin D from reaching your turf and roots, weakening and slowing grass growth. Our article on How to Help Roots of Your Lawn Utilise Sunlight provides further details on how to maximise sunlight for a lush lawn.
• Slow water infiltration – Too much leaf cover can turn into thatch, which is a layer of natural debris that sits on the surface of your lawn. However, thatch can prevent water from reaching roots, stunting grass growth.
• Mowing challenges – Although mowing can help shred fallen leaves, thick leaf cover can clog up your mower and make winter gardening tasks much harder.
• Increased risk of lawn disease – Fallen leaves paired with winter weather equals moisture traps. These damp conditions are favourable to fungal diseases such as snow mould, fusarium patch, or moss, potentially leading to mould and rot.

If you’re concerned about turf pests and lawn diseases, we have a library of content to help you identify and resolve turf problems:

• How to Remove Mushrooms from Your Lawn
• Are Slugs and Snails Bad for My Lawn?
• How Do I Get Rid of Ant Hills in My Lawn?
• Guide to Lawn Fungus & Disease

How to Remove Fallen Leaves

We’ve compiled our best practices for homeowners and professionals to help you manage fallen leaves and maintain a healthy lawn throughout autumn and winter.

Create an Early Routine

Don’t wait until the leaves have already covered your lawn. Begin with regular clear-ups to make the task more manageable.

Use the Right Tools

Being too aggressive with your leaf clean-up can cause harm to your lawn. To effectively remove leaves from your lawn, we recommend a tine lawn rake, leaf blowers, or a mulching mower for light leaf cover.

Consider the Weather

Look for dry days when leaves are dry, lighter and, therefore, easier to collect and break up. Avoid rainy days when leaves will be sodden. Also, avoid waterlogged or frozen lawns where turf will be more vulnerable.

Choose to Remove or Reuse

• Mulch leaves in place: A thin layer of leaf coverage (a couple of mm) can be shredded in place by a mulching mower. They can then be left on your lawn or spread across flowerbeds as a top dressing.
• Compost fallen leaves: Collect leaves and place them in compost bins, leaf cages, or bin bags. Leave them to naturally decompose over winter and use the leafmould to improve your soil in spring.
• Green removal: If you want to get rid of fallen leaves, or there are too many to compost, gather the leaves up and dispose of them via your garden waste bin. If you’re unsure, our article on How to Sustainably Recycle Your Garden Waste can guide you.

Lawn Care Post-Lead Removal

Once you’ve removed fallen leaves from your turf, this is the perfect time to take advantage of a clear lawn. Assess the condition of your grass and look for areas that seem to be struggling – perhaps the grass is thinner here, discoloured or has developed bald patches. Aerate, top-dress and overseed these areas before winter fully sets in. Our blog on Winter Garden Care: Protect and Nurture Your Garden can help you out here.

Use the Right Fertiliser

Whether your lawn is struggling or not, after a post-leaf clear-up, consider applying an autumn/winter-based fertiliser like our Nourish lawn fertiliser. Autumn-based fertilisers often have higher levels of potassium to strengthen root systems and help grass endure winter stress. For more insights and top tips on grass fertiliser, head to our How and When to Fertilise Your Lawn and What Temperature is Too Cold to Fertilise My Lawn articles.

Do Rotting Leaves Make a Good Fertiliser?

Yes! You can turn fallen autumn leaves into rich, organic and valuable fertiliser! Known as leafmould, it involves a slow and gentle decay process. Find a small, dark, and shaded area in your garden to create a leaf cage to collect your fallen leaves. You can also use perforated bin bags, which you can leave in your shed. Open them come spring and apply to your flowerbeds to help improve soil health. The texture of leafmould also aids with water retention, which is ideal for clay or sandy soils.

Top Tip: Make sure your leaves are dry before collecting them. For faster decay and improved oxygen and fungal activity, consider shredding the leaves before placing them in the cage or bag.

Speak to the Experts

If you’ve noticed your turf is struggling due to increased leaf coverage, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team. We’ll provide the best advice to resolve the issue. We also have a host of helpful turf guides to keep your lawn in fantastic condition, no matter the season!

Helpful Guides

• Is Your Turf Stressed?
• How to Repair Your Lawn After Frost and Snow
• Best Practices in Turf Laying for Stunning Results