Leaf Removal

Question

We just recently bought a house with very neglected gardens. There are about 3 inches of dead leaves in all of the flower beds that are now blooming. What is the best way to clean out the leaves without harming the blooming flowers? There are far too many to remove by hand.

Answer 1

If the flowers are coming up through the leaves fine, I would actually just leave them there. They will add nutrients to the soil. You can cover the leaves with mulch for a "nicer" look, if you need to.

If the flowers are having trouble getting through the leaves, you can try a leaf blower. That is a good tool for moving large quantities of leaves without harming plants.