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Embarrassed to mulch mow my leaves this late

16 years ago

I have mulched mowed all of my leaves thus far, but considering we have already had some snow, I think that the neighbors will think I am nuts if I am out on the lawn with a lawnmower. I have enough leaves to warrant something being done, but I am tempted to just blow the stragglers - or rake them up - so that my neighbors don't have me committed.

Is anyone else up north still mulch mowing?

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Comments (8)

iowa50126
16 years ago
Embarrassed, huh?

Well, there's a lot of that going around. (grin)

If I could, I'd fire up my mower and mulch the few leaves that are still on my lawn here in Iowa Caucus-land. But...

The only problem is, 10 days ago...it rained...then sleeted 4 inches ... then it all froze into a 3 inch glacial slab of ice. We have been in the 20F to 0F temp range ever since, so nothing has melted. Yesterday, 3 more inches of ice and snow fell on top of the glacier.

While most of my remaining leaves are frozen in ice...lots of them are blowing around on top of the snow cover like juvenile skaters on a rink.

Carpe diem, ignore the neighbors!
deerslayer
16 years ago
I don't think that it's strange to mulch mow leaves when snow isn't present. If you can rake'em you can mulch'em. Go for it!

Besides, you know a lot more about lawn care than your neighbors. They'll soon be coming to you for advice if they haven't already.

-Deerslayer
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1saxman
16 years ago
'I think that the neighbors will think I am nuts if I am out on the lawn with a lawnmower.'

Who cares what they freakin' think? It's your yard, use your mower if you want to. Down here, if we have a mild winter, I never 'store' my mowers. I have to bag a few leaves tomorrow, then throw down the last dose of 'winterizer' before the rain comes this weekend. In the weeks ahead I will be using one of the mowers to mulch leaves in the wooded section of the lot. At most the mowers will sit in the shed for part of January and February.
turf_toes
16 years ago
Rutgers,

Trust me, the embarrassment you feel is only a fraction of how I felt when I rounded up my front yard two years ago. The entire neighborhood thought I was nuts to do it.

That embarrassment will pass. It is all suburban conformity and need to try to fit in.

Don't worry about what they will think. Do what is right for your yard. I'm sure most of your neighbors probably have poorly maintained yards.

Why would you care what they think? They obviously don't care what you think.
quirkyquercus
16 years ago
The good news is that the neighbors probably already think you're nuts.
:-) Like most of us.
rutgers1
Original Author
16 years ago
I think I will do it under cover of darkness. I think the engine will give me away :-)
jeannie7
16 years ago
Rutgers, if there is sufficient leaves to do something to, then for the sake of your lawn and the use of the leaves, do go for it. Any neighbor who knows anything about what you are trying to do will maybe feel embarrassed they didn't do theirs.

I ran water from a hose onto my evergreens when snow was fluttering. The ground was not frozen and the water was quickly being taken it. Was I embarrassed....the grin on my face may have suggested it.....but my evergreens never show brown.
davidandkasie
16 years ago
i came home Monday from work and had maybe a handful of leaves onthe ground. last night i had piles of them! this weekend i will be mulch mowing mine, heck the yard needs cutting anyway since we were inthe 80s for 2 weeks everything started growing again.

i heard one of my neighbors cutting his grass Tuesday night about 9 oclock. i guess he was embarassed too!

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