You Shouldn’t Skip Leaf Removal – Here’s Why

The vibrant colors of Fall leaves are a scenic reminder of the changing of the seasons, as well as a reminder to grab the rake. A charming sight on the trees, once the leaves hit the ground they become a constant signal that work needs to be done. It may be tempting to ignore this signal and skip the work. I mean, how bad can it be to just ignore that rake and let the leaves sit? Well, there are a few reasons you may regret not taking care of the leaves on your property.

Leaf Removal Will Help Keep Your Lawn Healthy

Grass requires sunshine and air to grow and remain healthy. When a layer of leaves is covering your lawn, robbing it of the sunlight and air it needs for photosynthesis, if it doesn’t die, then the grass will become weak and less resilient to disease and pests. This will lead to a patchy and unsightly lawn come next Spring. Because of this, clearing out fallen leaves is actually essential in preparing your lawn for the winter.

Sitting Leaves Encourage Mold Growth

A layer of leaves over your lawn traps moisture, not allowing for it to evaporate. This creates the perfect environment for mold and other issues like fungi and moss. Mold is harmful to both lawns and people, and breathing in or touching mold spores can cause allergic reactions. It can be easy to kick up mold spores by simply walking through your leaf covered lawn. Fungi and moss can also be a problem for the health of your lawn. Some kinds of fungi can cause lawn diseases and, while moss invading your lawn won’t hurt it, it will make it slippery to walk on and will give it an unappealing look. It’s important to let your lawn breath by removing leaves to allow moisture to evaporate.

Sitting Leaves Invite Pests

A thick layer of leaves creates a host of nesting places for many different kinds of pests. Many insects and spiders can be attracted by the cover that fallen leaves can provide, from mosquitos to black widows. Though not common, black widows have been found in the Portland area and they prefer dark covered areas close to the ground to nest. A lot of insect pests can lead to tree or lawn diseases as well. Rodents are another common pest that may use leaves, at least temporarily, for nesting. They will probably end up trying to move inside where it’s warmer. Reduce the number of potential nesting places for pests by removing the leaves from your property.

It Can Help Your Garden Flourish

If you have a green thumb, then dead leaves can be a great addition to your compost pile! Allowing your leaves to be broken down by microorganisms into a nitrogen and nutrient rich fertilizer can do wonders for your garden and lawn. Turn this lawn killer into a garden booster.

A Couple Things To Consider

There are a couple things to think about when it comes to leaf removal. It’s important that you don’t burn your leaves to get rid of them. This is illegal in many areas and is dangerous. A slight wind can carry burning material far away and potentially start a wildfire. With all the problems the Northwest and the West Coast in general have had with fires, there’s no excuse to add to it. There are much better ways to dispose of your leaves if you don’t want to compost them, such as yard waste removal provided by many waste management services. Another thing to consider is the weather when removal takes place. Dry and still days are best when gather leaves. Wet leaves will clump and be heavy and windy days will make removal a nightmare.

Need a hand? Depending on how many leaves you’re looking at, all that raking may be something that you can’t do yourself. Maybe you manage an apartment complex and the scope of the project is too large to handle yourself, or you just don’t have the time. Rest assured knowing that it’s taken care of by calling the pros. SNUGS has you covered.

Snugs Pro Wash, Inc, dba SNUGS Services, has been providing high quality Pressure Washing Services in Portland, OR since 1995. Started as a residential pressure washing and roof cleaning service, SNUGS is now one of the leading exterior cleaning companies in the Northwest. From our humble beginnings as a man with a truck and a trailer we have grown to become a multi-million dollar company serving corporate customers, name brands, and mom and pop companies alike.

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