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I think it depends on where you live. If you're in a rural area then just leave them alone. If you're in a newer subdivision or live in a "neighborhood" then you should be courteous and take care of them.
I agree.
Since we live in way out in the country, we just leave the leaves alone. Some of my distant neighbors rake and rake, others rake and burn. Although I rake the walkways, etc, we basically just leave them there. It's gives it a "nature look" and also keeps our Flower Beds warm for the winter. We actually have some annuals that will return. During the winter months, many wind storms will blow the leaves into the woods. Once spring arrives, the remaining leaves get cut up at the first mowing of the grass. At that time if a little raking is necessary, it's only a total of a few hours worth of work.
Now if I was fully retired, with nothing to do, I would probably rake them (with a mower and bagger), but I would still leave the Flower Beds covered.
I'm sorry Dave, I didn't mean to cast criticism on you, I was just saying why the free-spirited approach to raking hasn't worked in my situation. By the way, your landlord is lucky to have a tenant like you, who helps out!
no worries, i took no offense, just offered a clarification as to why
Before I forget, 399083453, is that your social security number?
Quote:
Originally Posted by 399083453
This doesnt happen to all trees in the forests, with no one around to rake, so it must have been a fluke thing.
What a good point! Never thought of that.
However the ecology of my back yard is different, and a lot worse, than that of a forest. My small yard is surrounded by miles of factories and highways in every direction, and who-knows-what is in the air, soil, and groundwater. It's amazing that anything survives here at all, let alone giant oaks. So it's likely they're more prone to parasites and disease than are trees surrounded by other trees, in a forest.
So the raking is on. And it's enormous. The last time I raked and bagged the leaves, there were right around 50 bags full. Last year I threw my back out for weeks, raking, and the only part I did by myself was the back yard.
The best thing about spring is it's the only season when there's nothing on the ground that needs to be mowed, raked, or shoveled.
Before I forget, 399083453, is that your social security number?
Naw. When I went to sign up for city data, every name I wanted was taken so I mashed my hands on the number keypad and guess what? it was available. So this is my user name.
My neighbor has a good method. He relaxes on his porch and smokes cigarettes week after week, waiting for a brisk windy day when the beautiful carpet of 3 million leaves lift up and break apart like a broken puzzle and blow over to our yard. We can swear we hear a muted cartoon snicker beneath the whistles of the wind.
When I was a kid we would rake the leaves and burn them. Once I burned them along with the lawn. Never did that again as the lawn required too much mowing the next year. We now live on the top of a small hill surrounded by grass with not so many trees. What leaves the wind does not blow away get piled on my garden.
I welded up a cover over the opening of my mower deck. Once it's attached I can go around and mulch all the leaves, leaving a little furrow of leaves in the thick areas. I get in the truck and rake up the leaves putting them on the garden. The garlic likes a thick layer of leaves, so the frost doesn't heave the bulbs out of the ground, during any winter thaws. We don't fertilize our lawn except with the clippings and the chopped leaf bits, so they help in a small way to build the soil.
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By the way, your landlord is lucky to have a tenant like you, who helps out!
