To Mulch or To Bag, That is the Question

With the first day of fall already in the rearview mirror we’re all headed towards cooler days,

less humidity, campfires and, in my opinion, the best part, the color changing of the leaves

that is to come in the next few weeks. But what to do when those leaves start falling? For us

who live in areas covered by those massive oak trees or if we’re stuck in that vicious cycle of

our neighbors’ leaves always finding their way into our lawns, two options come to mind. 

Do I bag them or do I mulch them?

Consider the basics of the two methods.

Material collection systems can be costly depending on the machine. But these systems

collect and completely remove the leaves from your lawn. The provide that clean-cut look we

all work so hard to keep all season, the perfectly groomed lawn. Bagging however means

disposing of those leaves and sometimes that can be a pain.

Mulching kits are almost ¼ the cost of a material collection system depending on the machine

and shreds up those leaves into small particles to decompose on your lawn. The downside is

it can leave you with what some would consider an undesirable leafy-haze-looking lawn after

you’re done and if it’s in excess it can actually harm your lawn rather than help it. However, a

good layer of leafy haze does come with a few many hidden benefits in the way of natural

nutrients.

Mulching adds back Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Calcium, and Magnesium to name just a

few of the many nutrients through the process of decomposition. You know those same

nutrients you see listed on the front of lawn fertilizer advertisements that you pay money for in

the spring. They aid in maintaining healthy soil and in turn a healthy lawn. When mulching,

unlike bagging, you’re not removing those nutrients you’re adding all those natural elements

back to your lawn, and did I mention leaves are free! Ever hear of the saying that worms are

good for your lawn? These are the little guys, along with some of their friends, who turn those

leaves into rich new soil over time. Every time you mulch you ring the dinner bell for more of

them to come. All this in turn adds up to a healthier-looking lawn come the next spring and the

spring after that.

Now I am not saying that using a collection system is bad or has no benefits, they certainly

do. It gives you that clean-looking lawn all the way to winter. If you have a large amount of

leaves, that in itself can actually alter the chemistry of your soil and harm a lawn rather than

aiding it. Bagging removes them saving your lawn. It also removes debris that can be dragged

into the house over and over saving your sweeping arm from some tennis elbow. If you

garden you can compost those leaves to use for the next season. If your township provides

leaf pickup you have easy access to disposal, just dump them at the curb.

But what if you don’t have a garden? What if you want to cut down on the $$$ for fertilizer you

buy every fall and spring? Maybe think mulching. Or what if you have A LOT of leaves? What

if your carpet always has a trail of grass clippings from the door through the house? Maybe

think bagging.

So, when the leaves begin to fall here in the next few weeks and you start thinking of what to

do with that leaf-covered lawn, consider the pros and cons of both options of bagging and

also mulching. If you bag then you’ll have the clean cut lawn all the way through the holidays,

and if you mulch not only will your lawn thank you come next season but if you buy fertilizer

for your lawn, so will your wallet.