Neighborly Leaf Etiquette (Worcester, Wellesley, Lincoln: neighborhood, live in, shop)

[newenglandgal123]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

I am a leaf slacker. I do rake them up, but I do it once, after all the leaves have fallen, in November with a rake. To be honest, I don't see leaves as unsightly - to me it's beautiful autumn nature. I do rake them up before winter because they can suffocate plants underneath after they become wet and matted over time.

That's one of the main reasons I clean them up as I don't want them to suffocate plants and grass underneath. I'm also a bit of a neat freak so you won't be seeing brush piles,matted piles of leaves, weeds, rusty buckets, wood pallets, old tires, plastic tarps ,etc in my yard. I also like to keep areas picked up and free of piles in order to minimize rodent activity near the house.

[newenglandgal123]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

Tall fences make good neighbors.

I abide by the "if it's on my lawn it's my problem" school of leaf disposal. I would never blow leaves onto someone else's property, even if it's blowing them "back" to where they may have been at one point. I'm also no fastidious about having a leaf free lawn (I mostly want to avoid killing my lawn in the spring), so that's a lower bar to clear than someone who needs perfect order in their yard.

Unfortunately very close to the property line are some old, very tall pines that are rooted in the neighbor's yard. If I were to put a fence up and one of those pine limbs or the whole tree comes down and crashes the fence then have to get that repaired. If those trees weren't there, believe me, I would have had a fence up a long time ago. Just don't want to chance spending the money on it only to have a tree or limb come down and damage it, then I'm the one who has to pay to have not only the tree or limb removed but also my fence repaired. That's another topic for debate, tree maintenance. People just don't seem to do proper maintenance to the trees on their property. They let limbs brush up on their roof, things get way overgrown, keep dangerous decaying trees around. Who wants to pay the money on something like tree maintenance that costs thousands when you can use that for a vaca or whatever? I get it but at the same time, one of those things comes down and it's close to your house it's gonna cost a lot more in money and aggravation fixing everything!

[NewfieMama]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

The neighbor across the lane is out there with his John Deere 3 days per week from April to November. At this time of year, there isn't a leaf on his lawn after he's done. He hauls dozens of paper lawn bags to the town yard waste/brush disposal site.

This describes my neighbor. He does leaf cleanup nearly every day, so I feel like the lazy one. Luckily there is a stone fence between our two properties, but we each have a couple of acres (both of us back to woods) with many trees in our yards. He's the only neighbor we can see and I admit that I keep that side of my lawn more tidy in the fall so he doesn't get irritated. We typically do 3 rounds of leaf cleanup between October and November, but compared to his daily maintenance our yard always looks worse.

[newenglandgal123]

Originally Posted by NewfieMama

This describes my neighbor. He does leaf cleanup nearly every day, so I feel like the lazy one. Luckily there is a stone fence between our two properties, but we each have a couple of acres (both of us back to woods) with many trees in our yards. He's the only neighbor we can see and I admit that I keep that side of my lawn more tidy in the fall so he doesn't get irritated. We typically do 3 rounds of leaf cleanup between October and November, but compared to his daily maintenance our yard always looks worse.

It doesn't sound like you're lazy! Sounds like you're a considerate one. I'd love to have a neighbor like you, that at least makes an effort!

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

They never do a clean up! I've seen the guy break out his mower a total of 3 times since April! They aren't elderly either, I'd guess 33-35 year olds. I get not everyone is a yard fanatic but to me that is just plain being a lazy a**

He is lazy. I wouldn't feel guilty about blowing them back.

[Williepaws]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

They never do a clean up! I've seen the guy break out his mower a total of 3 times since April! They aren't elderly either, I'd guess 33-35 year olds. I get not everyone is a yard fanatic but to me that is just plain being a lazy a**

its much better for the environment, birds, wildlife, and land ,to leave most leaves alone. I now only rake leaves off the grass not the beds etc. and even the grass should be mowed in order to chop up the leaves and feed the grass. And if you are a lawn fanatic and feed and herbicide your property to death, the effect on the environment is far far worse than your neighbor. If thats what you do, Ill take your neighbor anyday!

[newenglandgal123]

Originally Posted by Williepaws

its much better for the environment, birds, wildlife, and land ,to leave most leaves alone. I now only rake leaves off the grass not the beds etc. and even the grass should be mowed in order to chop up the leaves and feed the grass. And if you are a lawn fanatic and feed and herbicide your property to death, the effect on the environment is far far worse than your neighbor. If thats what you do, Ill take your neighbor anyday!

I rake if there are a lot of leaves on the lawn but mow/mulch over them if there aren't that many. As for fertilizing and herbicide, unfortunately, I have tremendous weed pressure from next door so until I can build up a thicker turf where I no longer need them OR maybe if the neighbors ever begin doing regular lawn mows I'll cut back. I don't over use those products now. I also don't use the Scott's stuff. I use slow release organic ferts.

[r_p]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

I rake if there are a lot of leaves on the lawn but mow/mulch over them if there aren't that many. As for fertilizing and herbicide, unfortunately, I have tremendous weed pressure from next door so until I can build up a thicker turf where I no longer need them OR maybe if the neighbors ever begin doing regular lawn mows I'll cut back. I don't over use those products now. I also don't use the Scott's stuff. I use slow release organic ferts.

It's a loosing battle. My lot is 70% wooded/unmaintained with only a small patch with grass. I have never used any fertilizer or insecticide. Our chickens take care of both. And since they eat grass/weeds as well, I rarely have to mow. Best to live in harmony with nature

[newenglandgal123]

Originally Posted by r_p

It's a loosing battle. My lot is 70% wooded/unmaintained with only a small patch with grass. I have never used any fertilizer or insecticide. Our chickens take care of both. And since they eat grass/weeds as well, I rarely have to mow. Best to live in harmony with nature

Well, gold star for you. There are no chickens or plans to get any here.

[Seguinite]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

I rake if there are a lot of leaves on the lawn but mow/mulch over them if there aren't that many. As for fertilizing and herbicide, unfortunately, I have tremendous weed pressure from next door so until I can build up a thicker turf where I no longer need them OR maybe if the neighbors ever begin doing regular lawn mows I'll cut back. I don't over use those products now. I also don't use the Scott's stuff. I use slow release organic ferts.

I mow a few times to get the 'early' leaves, but raking is a must when the fall is done. I'm the guy on a corner that gets mine, all the neighbors' that don't rake, and the ones that blow down the street in two directions to me because people are too damn lazy to pick them up and just blow them into the street.

I don't have a walnut tree... but I still get to pick up a few hundred that roll down the neighbor's roof, hit the lip of the gutter, then bounce over the fence. Couldn't figure out where they were coming from for a couple years!