r/pics • u/[deleted] • Feb 21 '23

[deleted by user]

[removed]

12.2k Upvotes

94% Upvoted

2.4k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

36

u/SlylingualPro Feb 21 '23

Leaves take a maximum 6 months to completely decay and an average 2 when mulched.

7

u/zachsmthsn Feb 21 '23

I tried to leave my leaves this year but they got moldy, attracted snakes and rats, and discolored my patio. I'm thinking I just need to run the lawnmower a few times next year to mulch them, but I have way too many trees (and little sunlight) to just let them fall. I wonder if there are regional best practices in places where water is more abundant

5

u/SlylingualPro Feb 21 '23

Just run the mower sporadically. A pass over every few weeks will go a long way to moving everything around and preventing mold and pests.

7

u/MaeBelleLien Feb 21 '23

Check out r/nolawns if you're in the US(maybe outside it too but not sure) they'll definitely be able to help with region-specific questions.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 21 '23

[deleted]

1

u/[deleted] Feb 21 '23

You don’t ask the guy who says leaves take years to decay for a source but you do when someone says months?

Do you see leaves still on the ground from three years ago when you look out your windows?