While the beginning of autumn is often positively associated with cozy nights in rewatching shows like Gilmore Girls for the hundredth time, there is one dreaded chore that comes with the season: raking leaves in the yard. Let’s face it — no one likes bracing the cold every weekend, rake in hand, just to have to do it again and again for the rest of fall.
But does it have to be this way? According to Dan DiClerico, director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab, not raking your leaves can actually benefit your yard in the long run.
“Leaves can be an excellent source of natural fertilizer for the lawn, like lawn clippings, which is why we recommend mulching your lawn during the mowing season, rather than bagging the clippings,” says DiClerico.
And that’s not the only benefit — a layer of leaves can actually help shelter the wildlife living in your yard, which in turn will benefit the overall ecosystem. Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to let your lawn run wild for the entire fall season. DiClerico recommends following the steps below for a more hybrid approach to raking leaves this fall.
Allow a layer of leaves to form, but make sure it isn’t too thick.
For the first half of autumn, allow fallen leaves to form a blanket over your yard. “Keep in mind if the blanket of leaves is too thick, it can deprive the lawn of air and sunlight, which will ultimately cause more harm than good,” says DiClerico.
To mitigate that risk, DiClerico suggests raking the first dense layer of leaves in the middle of fall and allowing the remaining leaves that fall throughout the season to stay there over the winter.
Create a compost pile with the excess leaves.
Instead of throwing away that pile of leaves you raked mid-season, begin composting them.
“For the compost pile, you can buy an outdoor bin designed for leaves, make one from chicken wire or simply create a pile in one corner of the yard,” says DiClerico. “Start with a six-inch pile of leaves, then add a couple inches of grass clippings, green weeds or vegetable waste from the kitchen. Create more layers as needed, then turn the pile every few weeks.”
Let the remaining layer of leaves decompose.
For the second half of fall and the remainder of winter, all you’ll have to do is wait. “As the leaves break down, they’ll release nutrients into the soil that will fortify your lawn’s root system.”
Incorporate your compost into planting soil.
Once spring hits, your lawn will be prepped for the new season, thanks to the leaves you let decompose there over the winter. Plus, your compost will be all set to go.
“Come spring, you’ll have a nice supply of compost to incorporate into planting soils or to use as topdressing in a planting bed or garden,” says DiClerico.
Laura Millar (she/her) is the assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home design. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping in 2024, she wrote for NBC’s TODAY.com where she covered everything from entertainment news to product reviews to pop culture updates.
Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.
