The rumbling mower zipped over the leaves and snatched them up with metal blades.
Dirt flew out; dust swirled around and glazed my face a coat of grubby brown.
This isn’t going to work, I said with a huff, a cough, and fluttered eyelids.
But I persisted on giving it a try, on completing the task at hand.
When the bag was full, I turned off the mower, removed the bag, and peered inside through raccoon eyes.
No surprise. It didn’t work. The leaves were whole, not broken down for swift decay.
I sighed then looked around at all the leaves, one trillion to be exact.
I should have known the old way is best: A good rake and large leaf bags.
It beats the roar of a mower, dust swirls, and raccoon eyes.
Note: All fun aside, it is possible to break down leaves with a mower, but you’ll have to run over them at least twice. (I didn’t have the patience to do this—too much dust.) Be sure to wear goggles and a face mask. You can try a chipper.
I DO recommend using broken-down leaves as mulch. It’s free. It’s good for the soil and mulching is especially important now that we are in a severe drought.
Since I have decided to pass on the dusty task, I will be adding four inches of commercial mulch where needed. I am placing the oak leaves in the pasture along the outside of the garden fence to control the weeds.
In and Around the Garden 