Do Lawn Mowers Pick Up Leaves?
While mowing your lawn can be a fulfilling experience, raking and picking up the leaves to throw away is not. Luckily, some brands of lawn mowers like Mowrator's S1 Remote Control Lawn Mower 4WD can mulch, bag, and discharge grass clippings and leaves with no trouble at all. Whether it's the compost pile or the garbage bin, we've outlined which mowers can pick up leaves, the most efficient ways to do so, and more.
Leave the leaf collection to lawn mowers and make the most of your day. Let’s dive right in.
Key Takeaways
- Certain lawn care equipment has been designed to pick up leaves, with options like mulching leaves with a lawn mower or picking them up in a lawn mower bag.
- Lawn sweepers are an affordable alternative to bag collectors and mulchers.
- If you want to avoid picking up leaves, don't mow during the fall months of the year (or use a rake to dump the leaves beforehand).
Can Lawn Mowers Pick Up Leaves?
Yes, lawn mowers can pick and clean up leaves in your yard while you mow. To get your mower to pick up leaves you'll need to equip it with specific attachments like a bagger, sweeper, or mulching kit. While certain lawn mower models that can remove leaves tend to be more expensive than traditional counterparts, you'll be able to save yourself plenty of time and effort, so these additions would be a worthwhile investment.
How do Lawn Mowers Pick Up Leaves?
There are two main ways that lawn mowers pick up and dispose of leaves: mowing and bagging or mulching. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, which we've outlined below for you to consider:
| Advantages | Disadvantages | |
|---|---|---|
| Mow and Bag |
|
|
| Mulch |
|
|
What Is the Best Lawn Mower for Leaf Pickup?
The best lawn mower to pick up your leaves will depend on your needs. Thankfully, most types of lawn mowers have models that can pick up or mulch leaves as you complete your lawn care routine. If you're having trouble with which lawn mower to pick, here are some choices that could point you in the right direction:
- Gas-Powered Rotary Mowers
- Electric Rotary Mowers
- Mulching Mowers
- Riding Mowers
- Robotic Lawn Mowers
- Remote Control Lawn Mowers
- Self-Propelled Mowers
What is the Most Efficient Way to Pick up Leaves?
Bagger systems, lawn sweepers, or mulching could be the most efficient way to pick up and dispose of leaves, depending on what you want to achieve for your lawn. If you want a clean-cut and aesthetic lawn, your choice may be different compared to if you want a healthy and nutrient lawn. Budget, time, and your goals will impact your decision, so we've written up the most efficient ways to tackle the many leaves scattered across your lawn below.
Bagger Systems
Bagger systems are the most affordable ways to efficiently pick up leaves and grass clippings while you mow. Bagging requires that you add a bag attachment to your tractor or lawn mower, which siphons the debris using a leaf vacuum into the mower bag. This spares your lawn from being covered with leaves in the fall and gives it a neat and professional look.
If you encounter an abundance of leaves, grass, or other debris, you may need to empty the bag before you pick up the remainder of the leaves. According to Weingartz, larger grass will fill your bag more quickly and require more frequent emptying, so ensure that you have enough bags on hand to accommodate your spring or fall cleanup.
Lawn Sweepers
Lawn sweepers are another efficient way to collect stray leaves while you mow. They come in two different types:
- Push Lawn Sweepers: These need to be manually operated and often resemble a small lawn mower. While they're inexpensive and easy to store, you'll only want to use them for small, flat lawns if you want to avoid a strain on your back.
- Tow-Behind Sweepers: These sweepers are attached to the back of your riding or lawn tractor and collect leaves and other debris as you mow. They can manage large lawns with gentle slopes, although difficult terrain can make it troublesome to collect lawn mower leaves.
The advantages of lawn sweepers include their affordability and wide range of options. Some sweepers can hold more than double the capacity of most leaf vacuums. To take full advantage of leaf sweepers it's best to use a tow-behind sweeper as they can handle up to 15 cubic feet of leaves, grass, and debris.
Mulching
Mulching mowers are a favorite among homeowners thanks to their environmental benefits that also help your grass stay green and healthy. By recycling grass clippings and leaves, mulchers store a mixture of cut-up byproducts that release important nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium back into the soil when they're cut. This helps support your lawn and even reduces the need for fertilizers when the leaves naturally decompose.
Mulching is especially popular in regions of the United States that are dry, as mulch helps the topsoil retain its moisture, and stops grass from drying out. The mulch clippings can also reduce weeds from sprouting, although the opposite can be true if the conditions are too wet. If you want to achieve a lush and vibrant lawn, you need a mulching lawn mower to pick up leaves.
When is the Best Time of Year to Avoid Leaves?
The best time to avoid needing to pick up leaves will depend on where you are in the USA. Generally, leaves change color and fall between September and November during fall foliage. However, you'll find that leaves tend to fall between September and mid-October in northern parts of the country, while the southern parts may only experience large amounts of falling leaves in November.
Regardless of the time of year, you can count on Mowrator's S1 Remote Control Lawn Mower 4WD to mulch, rear bag, and discharge any thick layer of leaves you come across. Shop our range of mowers and accompanying accessories to experience the forefront of lawn mower technology today.
FAQs on Do Lawn Mowers Pick Up Leaves?
Is Mowing Leaves Bad for Your Lawn Mower?
Mowing leaves with your mower can be bad for your mower's blades, engine, and chute. This is exasperated if the leaves are wet and clog up your riding or push mower. After mowing your lawn, getting into the habit of picking out leaves by hand or using a leaf blower can clean your lawn mower and resolve most of the potential damage. Don’t forget about regular maintenance for your mower either. Proper maintenance and frequent cleaning will prevent long-term damage.
Can You Mow a Lawn with Leaves on It?
Yes, you can mow a lawn with leaves on it. In fact, mowing a lawn and mulching a pile of leaves while you do can promote a healthy and verdant lawn in the long term. If you pick up a layer of leaves while you mow, you likely won't be doing any harm to your mower if you don't let the leaves accumulate inside.
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