Fall certainly lives up to its name. As the air cools and the days shorten, we admire the striking red and gold leaves, but as they descend onto our lawns we realize there’s work to be done: raking to protect our grass and landscaping.

Is raking good for your lawn? Raking does more than make your lawn look nice. Raking prevents your grass from being smothered over winter and spring, and it also lowers the risk of mold growing under the snow and prevents small creatures from making homes in or on your lawn.

Make this fall more productive and less of a hassle come spring with these helpful tips for raking leaves.

Pro Tips: How to Rake a Lawn and When To Do It

• Rake with the wind. While this may be harder than it sounds some days, taking a few moments when you first get outside and understanding the elements will make your task easier.  If it is windy, try to rake your leaves behind some sort of wind block so the next gust of wind doesn’t take you back to square one.
• Rake your leaves when they are dry. Dry leaves are lighter and easier to move around your lawn than wet leaves.
• Rake downhill. Raking uphill is just impractical – gravity is working against you.
• Use a tarp on your grass. Tarps make leaf collection from your grass easier, and once you get the leaves on the tarp, you don’t have to rake every last bit of leaf from the ground. You can also use tarps to move smaller piles of leaves to your bigger pile or compost bin.
• When your lawn isn’t covered in leaves, use a lawn mower instead. Lawn mowers are more effective in the beginning of fall than the end. Mulching the leaves early on will disperse the nutrients across the soil and take away some extra fertilizing work you might be planning on doing.
• Keep yourself in mind. Stay hydrated and wear gloves and appropriate work shoes. Raking does take quite a bit of work and you don’t necessarily have to do it all at once. Take breaks, especially if you are feeling tired or sore. Try to avoid twisting too much when you are raking, too — shift your weight with your legs, not your back. Find a rake that works for you and is in good, functioning order. If your rake is missing some prongs or is extra rusty, it might be time to invest in a new one.

If you don’t already have a leaf rake, plastic wide-headed options often work best. They allow you to cover large areas in short periods and the plastic tines are more forgiving on turf, reducing the chance of damaging your lawn.

Using a leaf blower can also be helpful. A leaf blower can help you remove leaves from hard surfaces, such as concrete, and move leaves from tight spaces, including garden beds, to targeted spots.

​​Leaves that aren’t mulched or raked may block the sunlight from reaching the grass. When this happens, the grass cannot generate the carbohydrates necessary to process nutrients. This is especially a concern in Minnesota, where frost can prevent leaves from completely decomposing.

Clearing leaves off the lawn is something we all have to do. It keeps your grass healthy and it’s good exercise for the body! Whether you decide to rake or mulch with a lawn mower, remember that you are saving yourself a headache come spring.

Remember your childhood – do some leaf crunching! Crushing leaves down once you get them in a pile will lower the risk of them blowing away.

More Lawn Care Resources

The experts at Green Stuff Lawn have a range of resources to help Minnesota homeowners care for their yards year-round. If DIY isn’t your thing and you’d like to try professional services, our Minneapolis-based team is detail-oriented, prompt and ready to give you the lawn of your dreams. Contact us for a free quote.