How to Remove Leaves from Mulch Beds

Removing leaves from mulch beds isn’t as easy as it looks. Every time you try to rake or blow the leaves away, the mulch gets carried away too. 

The fix is simple once you know what works. You can pull leaves out by hand, rake them up, blow them off, or, even better, keep them out entirely by installing a leaf barrier. 

In this article, I’ll walk you through each method so you can keep leaves under control without disturbing your mulch.

Too much work? Not enough time? You might consider using a leaf removal pro.

Use your hands

Difficulty: Easy  Estimated time to complete: 15 minutes for a 50-square-foot mulch bed Best for: Small mulch beds or when working around delicate plants

If your mulch bed is small or has delicate plants, the easiest way to get rid of the leaves is with your hands. Before you put your hand in there, make sure to wear gardening gloves to protect your hands from hidden critters. I also recommend using knee pads to avoid straining your joints. 

Keep a bucket nearby so you can easily collect and dispose of the leaves. You can either mulch them into your lawn later or bag them up. If the leaves are wet or compacted, you can loosen them with a hand rake and then remove them. 

Pros: 

• Precise removal 
• Doesn’t damage plants
• No special equipment is needed

Cons: 

• Time-consuming
• Can be difficult to remove if the leaves are mushy

Rake

Difficulty: Easy  Estimated time to complete: 10 to 15 minutes for a 50-square-foot mulch bed Best for: Medium-sized mulch beds and areas with light leaf cover

An adjustable rake with flexible metal tines works best for raking leaves from mulch beds. It lets you reach narrow spaces between plants without damaging them. 

Gently pull the leaves toward the edge of the bed in one direction for easy bagging. Use short strokes so you don’t pull up the mulch. Once done, I recommend loosening the surface with the rake to make sure there’s enough airflow.

If possible, rake when the leaves are dry so you can easily slide them off. Wet leaves tend to clump and stick to mulch. Large leaves, like oak or maple, are easier to rake because they sit on top of the mulch. Smaller leaves often mix in with the mulch, so it’s easier to remove them by hand. 

Use a hand rake to remove leaves from tight spaces around plants. 

Pros:

• Easy to control even around plants
• Inexpensive tool
• Provides good airflow to the mulch  

Cons: 

• Can disturb plants if you aren’t gentle
• Time-consuming for large beds
• Wet leaves can be difficult to rake
• Small leaves are difficult to remove completely

Leaf blower or vacuum

Difficulty: Moderate  Estimated time to complete: 5 minutes for a 50-square-foot mulch bed Best for: Large mulch beds or when you need to clear a lot of leaves quickly

If you have to deal with a lot of leaves and there’s enough space between plants, using a leaf blower can save you time. However, make sure you’re careful how you use it, as you can dislodge the mulch and create a bigger mess than you started with. 

Wear a dust mask along with eye and ear protection. Set your blower to the lowest setting and angle it slightly upwards so it pushes air over the mulch and not directly on it. Move the leaves to the edge of the bed, where you can either vacuum or rake them up. If the leaves are wet, you need to hand-pick them. 

If your blower doubles as a vacuum, you can remove leaves directly from the mulch bed and save even more time. Set your vacuum to the lowest suction power and hover over the mulch so you don’t suck up mulch or rocks. These can clog your leaf vacuum and also mess up your bed. 

Some leaf blower/vacuum combos can also mulch the leaves. If yours does, you can use the shredded leaves as compost. 

Once you remove the leaves, I recommend raking lightly across the surface and pulling any dislodged mulch back into place. 

Pros: 

• Can save you a lot of time
• Works well for large areas 
• Requires little physical effort

Cons: 

• Can scatter mulch if you don’t use the right technique
• Noisy 
• Less precise 

Leaf barrier

Difficulty: Moderate  Estimated time to complete: 20 minutes to set up a 50-square-foot mulch bed, a few minutes for cleanup  Best for: Preventing leaf buildup in your mulch bed

A leaf barrier doesn’t get rid of the leaves in your mulch bed but can keep them out. Choose a breathable landscape fabric so water can still reach your soil and plants. 

Lay fabric on top of your mulch in early fall. The fabric will prevent the leaves from mixing with the mulch. Cut holes in the fabric where there are plants and place stones at the ends to hold it down. 

Once enough leaves accumulate on the fabric, pull the fabric up by the corners and dispose of them. 

The downside to using a leaf barrier is that it can affect the appearance of your mulch bed. 

Pros:

• No need for frequent cleanup
• Cleanup only takes a few minutes
• Protects mulch 

Cons:

• Initial setup takes time
• Affects the bed’s appearance

FAQs

Keep your mulch beds clean

As leaves pile up on your garden bed, pick them up with your hands, rake, or blow them. Don’t let them accumulate, as they can shorten the life of plants and invite pests. 

If you don’t have the time to blow leaves from your garden bed or just don’t want to bother, Lawn Love can help. 

Lawn Love pros can remove leaves from your yard, mow your grass when it’s tall, fertilize, and aerate. Hire a pro through Lawn Love today to get the job done right at a price you love.

Main Image: Fallen leaves in mulched garden bed. Image Credit: Svetlana / Adobe Stock