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An educational initiative to inform homeowners and landscapers about the many advantages of mulching leaves on site. We're Bedford-based, but our message is universal. Join us – and Leave Your Leaves Alone!
Want a landscaper who mulches-in-place? Find one on Landscapers Who Mulch.
For new developments, tips and dialogue, find us on Facebook. www.facebook.com/leaveleavesalone
We're very proud to say that Leave Leaves Alone was the recipient of two awards in 2012. See stories about the Earth Day Award from Westchester County and a Green Award from Bedford's Conservation Board.
Leaf mulching demonstrations & consultations are available on request. email: leaveleavesalone@gmail.com
For new developments, tips and dialogue, find us on Facebook. www.facebook.com/leaveleavesalone
We're very proud to say that Leave Leaves Alone was the recipient of two awards in 2012. See stories about the Earth Day Award from Westchester County and a Green Award from Bedford's Conservation Board.
Leaf mulching demonstrations & consultations are available on request. email: leaveleavesalone@gmail.com
Mulching For Landscapers
Things Your Clients Will Like to Hear
- This helps me keep my costs down, which keeps my fees down
- You will need less fertilizer because the leaf mulch breaks down and fertilizes the soil
- It's better for the environment because the town won't need to drive so many vehicles to pick up all the leaves
- It will be quieter because we use our blowers less
- It's safer because there will be fewer leaf piles in the roadways
- You'll end up with a better lawn because leaf mulch improves soil structure
- It helps improve drainage
DEALERS
Mulching equipment can be purchased at the following locations in the Bedford area:
Paul's Power Products
10 Center Street, Bedford Hills, NY 10507
(914) 252-3557
Bedford Mowers
385 Adams Street
Bedford Hills, NY 10507
(914) 241-2040
BedfordMowers.com
bedford_mowers@hotmail.com
Answers to Your (or Your Clients') Questions
My clients think mowing the leaves into the lawn will make the lawn look messy. Most homeowners don't realize the landscaper is doing anything different after they switch to mulching. The mulch generally cannot be seen on the lawn. Sometimes, if the leaf layer is very thick, you may need to make two passes to mulch all the leaves. Landscaping mowers equipped with mulching fittings reduce the leaves to such tiny fragments that you don't see them at all.
I don't like the look of leaf mulch on perennial beds. Some people prefer the look of commercial mulches. In that case, use a leaf mulch about 3" deep and top it off with a cosmetic layer of commercial mulch. This way you are still using the leaves productively.
What do you do when there isn't much lawn but you still have loads of leaves to clear? Rake or blow the leaves into long strips on the driveway, (the strips can be about 2 ft high) and mow over them with your mower. The pile will reduce in volume about 10-fold and you can blow the mulch back onto the flower beds or around shrubs.
Won't the leaf mulch run off when it rains? In general the leaf mulch stays right where you left it, especially when it rains. It begins to break down immediately and improves the structure of the soil.
I don't want to buy new equipment. You can mulch with regular mower blades - it's just much more efficient with the mulching blades. They are relatively inexpensive and you will easily get your money's worth back in the first season because of the time you save.
Doesn't this take more time than removing the leaves? Absolutely not - because you are hardly moving the leaves from where they fell. Just mowing them straight into the ground. PLUS, when you pile leaves in the road for town pick-up, half the time they blow right back into the yard, and you find yourself blowing the same leaves all over again the following week.
I might want to compost some leaves but clients think compost smells. Refer them to some literature (see our Useful Links at the left of the Who We Are page), and see if you can persuade them to try it for one year. They'll quickly realize the advantage of composting and that it doesn't smell or attract critters.
My clients think mowing the leaves into the lawn will make the lawn look messy. Most homeowners don't realize the landscaper is doing anything different after they switch to mulching. The mulch generally cannot be seen on the lawn. Sometimes, if the leaf layer is very thick, you may need to make two passes to mulch all the leaves. Landscaping mowers equipped with mulching fittings reduce the leaves to such tiny fragments that you don't see them at all.
I don't like the look of leaf mulch on perennial beds. Some people prefer the look of commercial mulches. In that case, use a leaf mulch about 3" deep and top it off with a cosmetic layer of commercial mulch. This way you are still using the leaves productively.
What do you do when there isn't much lawn but you still have loads of leaves to clear? Rake or blow the leaves into long strips on the driveway, (the strips can be about 2 ft high) and mow over them with your mower. The pile will reduce in volume about 10-fold and you can blow the mulch back onto the flower beds or around shrubs.
Won't the leaf mulch run off when it rains? In general the leaf mulch stays right where you left it, especially when it rains. It begins to break down immediately and improves the structure of the soil.
I don't want to buy new equipment. You can mulch with regular mower blades - it's just much more efficient with the mulching blades. They are relatively inexpensive and you will easily get your money's worth back in the first season because of the time you save.
Doesn't this take more time than removing the leaves? Absolutely not - because you are hardly moving the leaves from where they fell. Just mowing them straight into the ground. PLUS, when you pile leaves in the road for town pick-up, half the time they blow right back into the yard, and you find yourself blowing the same leaves all over again the following week.
I might want to compost some leaves but clients think compost smells. Refer them to some literature (see our Useful Links at the left of the Who We Are page), and see if you can persuade them to try it for one year. They'll quickly realize the advantage of composting and that it doesn't smell or attract critters.
How to Mulch with Commercial Lawnmowers
Mulching leaves involves switching to mulching blades and closing your mower deck's exit chute so that the leaves stay in the deck for another rotation so they get chopped into smaller pieces.With the right equipment, you can simply mow leaves into lawns. Deep piles of leaves can be also be mulched, avoiding the necessity of bagging or hauling leaves off site. Watch this video.
The Gator Mulcher blade is the blade preferred by the landscapers we know.
This plate closes the exit chute on the mower deck.
A different device to close the deck and ensure that only small pieces are dropped onto the lawn is the Vulcher2. This mulches lawn clippings, leaves and hedge trimmings to powder-like particles. Contact the local representative.
Contact Anthony Vulpone of Vulpone Landscaping to find out how he adapted his deck plate so he can switch to using a bag when necessary.
A local dealer familiar with mulcher blades and the deck plate is Louis at Argento & Son in White Plains.
Anthony Vulpone likes to replace his bag for a final pass where leaf mulching has left a bit of debris. This is not always necessary. A clean look can definitely be achieved when mulching leaves.
