Leaf Litter Can Be Beneficial When Properly Utilized
As the weather cools, Wichita residents can be assured of one thing: the leaves on the area’s deciduous trees will go aflame in bright reds, yellows, and oranges before falling to the ground in a display of color. But as a homeowner, what do you do with all the leaves that fall off the trees in your yard? There are a few options, some of which are highly beneficial to the health of your lawn and garden. Keep reading for four of our favorite ideas and to learn how your outdoor spaces can look their best all year long with the help of our professional landscaping company.
#1 - Mulch It Over Your Lawn and Let It Lay
You do not have to spend hours raking fallen autumn leaves from your lawn. Instead, simply mow over them to create a fine mulch and let it lay where it falls amongst the grass. As these bits of chopped up leaves deteriorate during the winter, they will turn into nutrients for your lawn. It is like getting completely free fertilizer for your grass. As an added bonus, it is all natural. The only time you would not want to mulch leaves and leave them on your lawn is if you know the tree they fell from is diseased. Raking up and removing leaves in this case can help prevent the disease or pests from spreading from tree to tree. (So can our chemical tree services - ask us about them today.)
#2 - Use It to Insulate Your Garden Beds
Your vegetable garden and decorative garden beds would love the natural mulch of leaf litter. Just like it breaks down in your yard and turns back into soil matter, so too does the leafy mulch you would place into your garden. It also helps insulate perennial plants so they can begin growing and blossoming in the spring, and prevents you from needing to spend money on bags of mulch at the big box hardware store. Remember that if you need help preparing your landscape for winter, Meadowlark’s landscaping services include it.
#3 - Bag It Up for Scarecrow Fun
Not wild about leaves in your yard? You can still put them to good use by raking them up and using them to stuff a scarecrow for your porch for fall decor. Grab a pair of jeans, a flannel shirt, and fabric to form your scarecrow’s face, and fill them up carefully with the leaves that have fallen in your yard. Stitch them all together and pose your new friend in a chair on your porch, surrounded by decorative gourds, bales of straw, carved jack-o-lanterns, and fall-themed throw pillows and entryway rugs. Your scarecrow will last all season long while it contains the leaves you removed from your lawn! That’s a win-win and fun for everyone who visits your home.
#4 - Compost Fallen Leaves to Feed Your Garden Next Summer
If you want to go green with your leaves and benefit your lawn and garden in a different way than we’ve previously mentioned, why not start a compost bin and use the fallen leaves as a base of browns?
Over the winter, you can add organic kitchen scraps, like vegetable peels, coffee grounds, and egg shells to your compost bin, turning it occasionally as it breaks down. Eventually, it will turn into dark, rich compost that you can till into your garden soil or add to flower pots. You can learn more about how to compost by contacting the Kansas State University Extension Office for free resources and brochures, or get advice from one of the master gardeners who volunteer there.
Rely on Our Wichita Landscaping Services to Take Care of Your Yard
If you do not have a plan for the fallen autumn leaves in your yard, don’t worry. Meadowlark Landscape and Design can take care of them for you, as our team of Wichita landscapers keeps your yard pristine all year round. Not only do we provide a full spectrum of lawn care, including seeding, fertilizing, and aerating, but we’ll also care for your garden beds each week of the growing season, pulling weeds, deadheading flowers, and ensuring everything looks as beautiful and healthy as possible with our lengthy list of landscaping services. Contact us to learn how we can take over the hassle of yard work for you and get on our list for lawn care today to start in the spring. We cannot wait to see how beautiful your yard and landscape can be when we up the curb appeal with our professional skills and expertise.