10/21/2026
Do you bag them or mulch them? I get asked this every October.
Here’s the honest answer. If it’s a light layer, mulch them. Run the mower over it a couple times and the pieces drop down between the grass blades and break down over the winter. That’s free fertilizer and your lawn is better for it in spring.
If it’s a thick layer, you have to get it off. Mulching a heavy mat just leaves a heavy mat in smaller pieces, and it still smothers the grass under it. The way to tell is simple. If you can’t see grass through it, it’s too thick to mulch.
If you’d rather not spend 3 Saturdays figuring it out, send me a message and we’ll handle it.