This time of year, the leaves begin to pile up on our lawns. Should you rake them? Or better yet, give your kids a life lesson of a good day's work and have them rake them? Or should you mulch them in place?

What You Need To Know

  • Mulch the leaves in place

  • Mulching can save time and money

  • Mulched leaves are an excellent source of food for worms

  • Worm poop is an excellent humus, rich in nutirents for your lawn

Back in the day (boy, I'm getting old), my dad would have us rake the lawn before the snow arrived. We would rake them onto a tarp and drag them to the woods behind our house. Oh, the joy of hard labor and the money my dad saved having kids! The best part was that the leaves were always put into a big pile for jumping into first. 

Now that I'm the dad and kids today seem to be busy, I figured out that my riding mower with a mulching blade and a cup holder is the best way to get rid of fall leaves. Not only for my back, but my lawn as well.

Mulching leaves shreds them into much smaller pieces and are perfect worm food. Yes, there are a lot of worms lurking below the surface in your lawn.