The fall season leaves are a natural mulch in the flower garden and a good way to enrich the lawn. However, the leaves must be raked in the early spring to remove the excess leaf matter from your gardens and lawn in the early spring. Or as soon as your days warm to an average of 40 degrees.
Last fall I left the leaves on my gardens and in late winter I removed a patch of the leaves I found that the leaves were beneficial to the earthworms and the soil was richer due to nutrients found in the leaves. The leaf matter also made my heavy soil lighter and the sandy soil retained moisture.
Know that it takes an average of six to twelve months for leaves to decompose. I was not waiting the full six months because I saw new growth under the leaves and did not want to block the daffodils that were coming up.
I am glad that I winterized my lawn and garden with a light layer of leaves as it was beneficial but you would not want to leave a thick pile of leaves on your garden or on your lawn.
Excess leaf matter will inhibit plant growth and it will attract mice snakes and other undesirable garden pests including borers that will eat your Irises. So it's best to remove any excess leaves from your gardens in the fall and only use a light layer of leaf mulch on your gardens.
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