Ahhhh fall… Cooler nights, football, and the changing of colorful leaves. Although those leaves may look pretty and add color to your lawn, that beauty won’t last. Leaving leaves on your lawn can cause unforeseen damage to the health of your grass, and can cause other potential hazards around your home.

First and foremost, a layer of leaves can suffocate your grass. Yes, leaves are known to blow around, but if they settle in and don’t move for a few days, that golden blanket can actually smother your lawn. Grass needs sunlight, water, and other nutrients for it to stay healthy and continue to grow. Removal of those pesky leaves can be time consuming, but Olive Branch Landscape Management will take care of that for you--giving you more time to worry about all the things your dog is chewing on.

Removing the remnants of soggy leaves is not just important for the health of your yard, but for the health of your home and your family. Sound dramatic? Au contraire. Believe it or not, mildew, mold and other various fungi all thrive in dark and wet conditions. Those moisture trapping leaves create a perfect breeding ground for those things to grow. Let’s not forget, that mold can also be dangerous to humans and animals. Exposure to mold can cause allergens and irritants to anyone that might breathe in the mold spores--some of which can even be toxic. Exposure to mold could cause throat and nasal irritation, coughing, wheezing, and eye irritation. Highly sensitive people, or those who already have allergies, can have even worse symptoms.

Moreover, the soggy leaf pockets that are left unattended can also house all kinds of lovely little critters like mice, cockroaches, and spiders. YIKES! Although, it isn’t the mold itself that attracts these critters, it’s the properties of a dark, damp environment that draws them in. Luckily, you are reading this article and now know how to prevent these scenarios. Give Olive Branch Landscape Management a call.