Asked on Jun 02, 2018

How do I rake the leaves out of my flower beds & not remove mulch?

Cordillera
by Cordillera
I am planting all my flower beds with perennials and adding cedar mulch so that eventually they will be very low maintenance. There are a number of mature trees in our immediate area so we get bags of fall leaves. How do I remove the leaves but not remove the mulch?

  7 answers
  • Sharon Sharon on Jun 02, 2018

    Use your blower on a low setting to move it to one side, then rake it up and bag it.

  • Jcraw Jcraw on Jun 02, 2018

    As I’m sure you’re aware, the answer is Carefully.

    An “adjustable” rake, with tines you can narrow or widen will help you get between planting’s and move lightly

    We use a small shop vac to collect the bulk of leaves off the top layer, so the raking is more finishing-touch.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Jun 02, 2018

    Maybe use a garden blower? or other end of cillendar Vac.

  • Cheryl A Cheryl A on Jun 02, 2018

    I use my blower on low to remove the leaves then rake lightly if needed


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  • DesertRose DesertRose on Jun 02, 2018

    I deal with this every year too, from trees across the street that blow into my mulched flower beds. I do it with gloves on by hand and bag it as I go. It is part of my spring cleaning and ongoing all summer once a week.

  • Jewellmartin Jewellmartin on Jun 02, 2018

    If you are just now planting perennials and putting in cedar mulch, then clean all the old mulch and leaves out and straight into lawn bags. You can add it to a compost heap for later use, or put it out for city pickup. My city makes mountains of mulch each year, and residents can get it for free, by the bag or truckload, each spring and fall. If you need more potting soil or topsoil, put that in now. Place your plants and border, then fill the beds with lots and lots of mulch, just not touching any tree trunks. Next fall when tbe flowers are not growing but the leaves start falling, cover your flowerbeds with fishnet (sports and crafts stores), chicken wire, or window screening. Every week or so, empty all the leaves from the covering into lawn bags and dispose of them. Replace the coverings until the next week or two. Keep your lawn raked clean of leaves, use a grass blower to keep the covering clean if you prefer that to dumping the coverings, and smooth the mulch and add more as needed. When the leaves have all fallen in your neighborhood, it will be safe to uncover the beds and get them ready for winter/spring. Best wishes ☺️

  • Joy30150932 Joy30150932 on Jun 02, 2018

    If you use a lawn rake and lightly move it towards you, the leaves should come to you easily.