Removing Leaves vs. Mulching Leaves: Which is Best for Commercial Properties?

Remember your lawn? It’s still down there, somewhere, under that sea of crinkly brown fallen leaves.

It’s time for the leaves to go, but what’s the best method for a commercial property — removing leaves vs. mulching leaves?

James Kole, branch manager at Level Green Landscaping, fills us in.

Mostly, Mulch 'Em

Here at Level Green Landscaping, crews mulch leaves whenever possible, Kole says, using a mulching mower that breaks the leaves down into nutritious bits beneficial to your turf.

Mulching is great for your lawn, Kole says. The tiny bits of leaves fall down to the soil level where they’ll begin decomposing, acting as a natural fertilizer. 

When leaves collect in perennial beds, crews blow them out of the beds and onto the lawn, so they can mulch those, too.

Worried about mess?

“You won’t even notice them,” Kole says. “The tiny pieces work their way down in between the blades of grass and pretty much disappear.”  

When Removal Is Best

If you have a small property, but lots of trees, you may have too many leaves to mulch, Kole says.

In that case, crews remove them with a leaf vacuum, which shreds them and loads them onto a truck.

The leaves are trucked to a composting facility to turn into compost. Level Green buys the compost back, and uses it to enrich planting beds.

What If You Just Leave The Leaves?

If you only have a few leaves, it’s no big deal to leave them alone, Kole says.

But most properties have too many. Removing leaves vs. mulching leaves? You’ll have to pick one.

Why can’t you just leave them? Lots of reasons.

• Neglected leaves will smother the grass, depriving your lawn of crucial sunlight it needs for a strong root system.
  
  
• When leaves pile up, they get wet and moldy, making your lawn susceptible to diseases.
  
  
• Leaves attract rodents and bugs who want to settle in for the winter.
  
  
• “If you have drains on your property, leaves can clog the drains,” Kole says. “That causes puddling, and those puddles can freeze. That causes a way more expensive hazard than paying for leaf removal.”
  
  
• Bottom line: a property full of ratty old leaves just looks bad, Kole says. “You run the risk of turning away tenants who might think you neglect the property.”

Why Do I STILL Have Leaves?

So, you pay for leaf removal. Why is your lawn still covered with leaves?

Blame nature.

“It's fall,” Kole says. “If we do leaf removal on a Monday, and it's windy, the leaves will be back on Tuesday. Or even if it’s not windy.”

Most Level Green customers get two leaf removals, Kole says, one in November and one in December.

If your property includes a lot of oak trees, you might want consider a third leaf removal in January, he says.

“Oak trees hold their leaves well into winter.”

Leave Your Leaves To Level Green

Removing leaves vs mulching leaves?

Let the experts at Level Green help you decide the best method for your commercial property.

Either way, we’ll get ‘em outta there, leaving your lawn ready to head safely into winter and emerge green and healthy in the spring.

If you’re not already a Level Green Landscaping client, we’d love to add you to our growing list of happy customers. Our focus is on commercial properties like offices, mixed-use sites, HOAs, municipalities and institutions in Maryland, Washington DC and parts of Virginia.

Contact us at 202-544-0968. You can also request a free consultation online to meet with us one-on-one.

We’d love to hear from you.