Taking care of a lawn in the fall can feel like a never-ending battle against leaves and changing weather conditions.

Some homeowners turn to traditional raking and bagging, but lawn experts say there is a smarter option that works with the season instead of against it.

Grass needs nutrients, sunlight, and air circulation, but fallen leaves can block those essentials. A growing number of people are now relying on “vacuum mulching” to keep their grass green and healthy.


Chris Lazo, who goes by @bermudadad online, demonstrated how leaves can cover an entire yard in minutes.

He warned that when leaves block sunlight, lawns struggle to get what they need before winter dormancy.

“Mulching can put the nutrients right back into your grass by chopping leaf materials into particles that are small enough to break down easily and go back into your soil,” Lazo explained.


His method involves taking what would normally be considered an ordinary, everyday lawn mower and adapting it with a few changes so that it functions as a mulcher rather than just a basic cutting machine.

Lazo showed how to block off the chute in the back of his Greenworks 60V 21-inch mower using a mulch plug.

Removing the side discharge allows the mower blade’s vacuum effect to keep grass and leaves swirling inside the deck for longer.


“This allows the vacuum that the blade creates to keep the grass swirling inside the deck for longer, so that the blade gets multiple passes at the clippings before dropping them back onto the ground,” he said.

The result of this process is a finely shredded layer of natural material that breaks down at a much faster rate than larger clippings and, in turn, provides lasting benefits by enriching the soil beneath.

Lawn mulching does more than simply save time and reduce effort—it creates a system that continually returns measurable nutrient value to the ground in a way that supports healthier growth over the long term.



According to The Spruce, lawn mulching can contribute up to one pound of nitrogen toward the roughly four pounds a lawn needs annually.

This makes it an easy way to recycle what would otherwise be yard waste. The smaller clippings act as natural fertilizer, helping grass stay resilient against drought and disease.

Lazo cautioned that shorter clippings are key to success, which means mowing more often in the fall. Practicing this technique can also reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers, since grass and leaves naturally return phosphorus and potassium to the soil.


He emphasized that this method is especially effective when applied consistently, not just occasionally. “This is what I do to keep my lawn beautiful, clean, and healthy throughout the fall,” he explained.

For homeowners who prefer not to mulch, Lazo suggested using a powerful leaf blower. “A blower beats a rake any day because it can remove leaves quickly and easily,” he said.

His recommendation was the Greenworks 60-volt blower, which produces winds up to 200 miles per hour with a 60-minute battery life. Weighing only ten pounds, it provides power without adding strain.

Read next:

• Raking your leaves could be damaging your yard: Surprising reasons it's hurting your yard!
• Rising costs leave homeowners searching for ways to keep lawns green without breaking the bank

Would you transform your mower into a mulcher to recycle leaves, or do you still prefer the traditional rake-and-bag method? Lawn care decisions in the fall often make the difference between patchy grass and a thriving yard come spring. Share your own fall lawn hacks and let us know whether vacuum mulching is something you would try this season.