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You might think when to rake and other such debates are mulch ado about nothing – perhaps only tines will tell ...

By RAY ROUTHIER, Staff Writer October 11, 2009

Raking leaves can be a wonderful family activity, allowing everyone to frolic in the crisp fall air while learning about nature and working together to ... blah, blah, blah.

We've heard it all before. Might even by true.

But when you take a harder look at leaf raking, the cold truth is that this iconic fall activity has the potential to bring up one dilemma after another.

Leaf raking, at its core, is about resolving a series of autumnal debates that can leave your hands calloused and your mind numb: Raking early and often versus raking late; raking versus mowing; bagging versus hauling; wheelbarrows versus tarps; metal rakes versus plastic; plastic rakes versus bamboo.

"I am a big fan of bamboo over plastic. The plastic ones are too stiff and the tines don't stay in contact with the ground long enough to move very many leaves," said Peter Moulton, 53, of South China, who obviously has thought long and hard about this particular debate. "My bamboo rake has plenty of spring to it. I compare raking with a plastic rake to painting with a board instead of a paintbrush."

With autumn color getting to be peak in some parts of the state, leaves are starting to pile up on our lawns. And you need to do something with them, right? If you leave a wet mat of leaves on your lawn all winter, they will be there, soggy as ever, in the spring.

And if you plan to use your yard at all, you don't want that.

Some folks will be out raking every weekend throughout the fall. Some won't grab a rake until Thanksgiving. Some won't grab a rake at all, choosing a blower or mulching mower instead.

To help you decide which side you come down on in these great raking debates, let's take a look at several of the hard choices raking prompts each fall, including some of the facts you may not have considered.

EARLY AND OFTEN VERSUS LATE

The early and often theory is practiced by folks who are very persnickety about their lawn and want it looking neat and clean all the time.

"The neighbors who keep theirs raked every week are probably the ones who are encouraging you to go rake yours," said Terry Skillin, who sells all sorts of leaf-collection gadgets at his Skillin's Greenhouses in Falmouth, Cumberland and Brunswick. "But how often you rake really depends on what you want to do."

But there is some science to back up the early and often camp.

"If you have a nice lawn and let leaves sit on the grass for any period of time, you could damage that area," said Gary Fish, coordinator for the Maine Yardscaping Partnership, which promotes sustainable landscaping practices. "Fall is one of the best times for improving your lawn's root system, to fertilize and let the sunshine get to that grass."

If you're not looking for a picture-perfect lawn, then letting the leaves pile up for a few weeks is probably not a huge deal, said Fish.

But then there's the old-fashioned New England ethic of being as efficient as possible. And that's where the raking after the last leaf drops comes in.

"I try to wait, because I can't stand doing things twice," said Arlene Kerr of West Paris.

RAKING VERSUS MOWING

Kerr likes to rake instead of mowing or blowing leaves, because she feels she's getting up dead grass at the same time, and helping her lawn.

Fish likes to mow with a mulching mower. There's less chance of blisters and tired arm muscles. And Fish feels he's helping his lawn too, because mulched leaves provides nutrients for the grass to feed on.

Fish puts mulching blades on his two mowers – a single-blade push mower and a triple-blade rider. He basically tries to mow as soon as he gets a covering of leaves. If the covering of leaves gets too thick, the mulch might turn out to be big gloppy piles instead of a fine mulch that can blend in with the grass.

The only problem with mulching, says Fish, is that...