Leaf clear up..
Today, I would like to explain one of the reasons why clearing up leaves off the lawn is important.
One of these reasons in this garden below is:
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leaves partially pulled in
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autumn leaves on a lawn
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lawn full of leaves
Earthworms..
Not their beneficial activity of aerating the soil, but the detrimental effect of their casts on the surface of your lawn.
There are about 27 species of worm in the UK but only three create worm casts at the surface of your lawn
Earthworm cast is made up of soil and worm’s digestive system secretion. Final product is very slimy and if left on the lawn, can later be smeared across the lawn from mowing or even walking on the lawn. Earthworm casts also create bumps in the turf and can quite often be unsightly.
The vast amount of earthworm casts can quickly turn your lawn into a patch of mud.
Leaves do attract worms to the surface. Worms pull leaves into their burrows to feed on these later.
One simple thing you can do to discourage worms from coming to the surface is to clear autumn leaves immediately.
Leaf clear up service
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leaf clearing up service
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leaf clearing service
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lawn tidied up
That will limit the amount of casts on your lawn .
Other methods include:
– Use of an acidifier
– Spraying with a fungicide like: carbendazim
I know this wont get the light of day, but please rethink your advice, and make a real difference.
Nature needs us, not sterile manicured lawns…
And people wonder why there is a decline in insects, bees and butterflies. And ultimately starving hedgehogs, birds, amphibians!!
With proper lawn management, encouraging mulching of leaves (feeding the soil) over the lawn, around tree trunks, flower beds, pots, compost corners and leaving a pile of leaves, twigs, etc in a wild corner of you garden to provide a safe habitat for wintering creatures. We all have a responsibility to safeguard this fragile ecosystem. Nature has given us everything we need.
And you are suggesting the use of acidifiers, and spraying with fungicides like: carbendazim?!?!
Shame on you, and anyone who uses these barbaric methods…
Thank you for your comment. I do agree with you to store leaves somewhere in the garden, have big and nice composting area. That’s ideal and very beneficial. Leaves left on lawns over winter are really not beneficial to wildlife and can only adversely affect the lawn – simply making it a bit patchy comes spring. I personally never used acidifiers neither fungicides. It is not an encouragement to use such method, merely a pointer if someone wants to know more.