Should I Rake Every Leaf Off My Lawn?
Not necessarily. A mower can turn a manageable layer of leaves into useful organic matter for the lawn.
A few leaves on the lawn do not require a rake, bags, and a trip to the compost pile. CSU Extension recommends mowing manageable leaf cover into the turf rather than automatically removing it.
The important distinction is between finely shredded leaves that settle into the canopy and a thick blanket of whole leaves that smothers the grass.
The easy visual test
CSU offers a very practical guideline: if you can see some grass through the leaves, the layer is generally not too thick to mulch with the mower. Set the mower high, remove the bag, and make enough passes to chop the leaves into small pieces.
Why mulch them?
Shredded leaves add organic matter to the soil as they decompose. Research summarized by CSU has also found benefits for soil ecology and, over time, potential reductions in some lawn weeds. Mulched leaves do not inherently create thatch.
When there are simply too many
If the mower cannot reduce the leaf layer enough for grass blades to remain visible, remove the excess and use it elsewhere: compost it, shred it for suitable garden beds, or collect it for community composting where available.
Sources & further reading
These Field Notes translate Colorado horticultural guidance into practical homeowner language. For the underlying recommendations, start with the original CSU Extension resources: