Our lawns are becoming covered in fall leaves.  So what should we do about them—rake or mow? 

The easiest method I have found is to set my mower blade at 3 1/2 inches deep and mow my leaves about once or twice a week. This proves to be the simplest way to turn them into lawn-nourishing mulch.

Allowing the shredded leaves to work into my lawn and leach into the ground during the winter months adds rich nutrients to the soil. Broken down mulched leaves are the best natural fertilizer for your grass.

The only problem is that you have to keep up with the mowing. Leaves cannot get too deep. Mowing must be done as the leaves fall, not after all the leaves have fallen.

Depending on the size of your lawn, raking leaves can be back-breaking. It must be done at least three times in the season or the depth of the leaves can actually harm the grass. Once raked and gathered, they must be bagged for disposal or piled up to be composted.

Composting or recycling your leaves is easy. Simply pile the leaves in a designated spot in your yard, add some layers of dirt, turn over your pile about twice a month and by spring, you will have a pile of nutrient rich soil to add to your garden or flower bed.

Rake or mow? The choice is yours. Or better yet, do my neighbors method and just let the wind blow them away!