Leaf cleanup tips for your home

Dreading the chore of raking your lawn doesn't help much; it still has to be done.

Leaving leaves on slippery surfaces has danger written all over it, and what a lot of people don't realize is letting leaves build up on your flower beds creates a nest for many fungi and insects.

To avoid future headaches, try turning this chore into a fun activity for the entire family. If you have little ones running around, raking leaves is a lot more fun that you could ever imagine! For a few dollars, you can find a small child's size play rake at any home and garden store. The entire afternoon can be spent raking leaves into piles, then jumping, playing and bagging them in the end. You'll be happy and your children will enjoy getting the job done.

For those of us that really love our lawn and want to have beautiful green grass in the spring, we've learned to accept the chore and make it a habit. If you aren't sure how to keep your lawn in top-notch shape and want to learn the tricks of the trade, read on!

First, you'll need to mow your lawn, leaves and all. This reduces the overall volume and makes for easier clean-up. Next, you'll need to collect the chopped-up bits in the lawn mower bag and arrange them in piles. In a couple of weeks, the pile will shrink by half, then in the spring it will have reduced by half again and your mountain of leaves will have created a few inches of good compost for summer mulching.

Questions or comments write or email: eugene.dougherty@realliving.com