Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Try mulching fallen leaves
From the RoundTable blog
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Dwayne R. D'Ardenne
D'Ardenne is the street and landscape superintendent for Roanoke's Transportation Division and a resident of the Greater Deyerle Neighborhood.
"What do I do now?" As part of the budget reduction process this past spring, Roanoke eliminated its annual loose leaf collection program. This decision was made, in part, due to citizen feedback from the Budget Survey in March. A majority noted a willingness to accept elimination of loose leaf collection to help balance the budget.
As autumn days get shorter, leaf chlorophyll production slows, revealing the ever-present pigments of yellow, orange and brown. Further, sunny days and cool nights lead to production of leaf pigments that add the deeper orange, red and bronze shades. As autumn continues, those brilliant leaf colors that we all enjoy slowly begin to fade, and the leaves fall with quickening regularity.
Back to the question: "What do I do now?"
Roanoke and others have long been proponents of a quicker, easier and environmentally friendly method of leaf disposal called mulch-mowing. Since 1996, the city has been mulching leaves in parks and on other city-owned properties. In these difficult economic times, we all continue to look for the most efficient ways to get things done. Mulch-mowing is one such operational efficiency that the city has utilized for more than a decade.
Some skeptics say mulch-mowing leaves will smother their grass. In his mulch-mowing publication "Leave Them Alone: Lawn Leaf Management," Virginia Tech's extension turfgrass specialist, Mike Goatley, disagrees.
Also, a recent article in Grounds Maintenance magazine, "Mulching tree leaves: an alternative to disposal," by Zac Reicher and Glenn Hardebeck, references a Purdue University research report that shows a 6-inch to 8-inch layer of leaves could be mulched without negative effects on turf quality, color, thatch accumulation, soil pH change, weed populations or disease.
The same study found "increased soil microbial activity [which] indicates improved soil quality. Therefore, we expect that the heavy clay soils on which many new subdivisions are now built should improve as the trees mature and their leaves are mulched into the turf. Our data [also] suggested an increase in water-infiltration rates. This data was not conclusive but, combined with the increased soil microbial activity, suggests mulching tree leaves improves soil properties."
So, what to do with all those leaves? Why not try something new this fall?
Everyone with grass to mow can also mulch their leaves. Even without a specifically designed mulching mower (most mowers purchased within the last decade are designed for mulching), leaves can be mulch-mowed by installing a mulching blade. Costs for the blades start at around $12 and are available at most Roanoke Valley retailers that sell lawn and garden equipment.
For more information, visit the city's Web site at www.roanokeva.gov/leaves or call 853-2676.
