Don't Want To Rake Leaves? The Michigan DNR Has Your Back

If you absolutely hate raking leaves all Fall, the Michigan DNR wants you to know that you shouldn't be doing all that raking anyway.

Nobody likes to have a yard full of leaves, but the hassle of raking them all up is even worse. Normally we all just bite the bullet and spend a day raking, bagging, and dragging leaves out of the yard (only to have it filled with leaves again a week later.) The Michigan DNR has come out with some advice on what to do with those leaves, and guess what . . . none of it involves raking!

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Here are the three things the Michigan DNR suggests you do with your leaves.

The good news is that the DNR is not suggesting that you rake and bag your leaves, but there might be some overall leaf collection depending on which option you choose.

Leaf Them Be

If you hate raking leaves more than anything, this is the answer you've been waiting for. The DNR is basically saying, just let them sit on the yard.

This is probably the most eco-friendly way to handle the leaves, as they provide a lot of benefits for wildlife in your yard. The bad news is that they won't all decompose during the winter, and you'll see nothing but wet, gross leaves in the spring.

Make Garden Gold

If you know anything about composting, this is probably what you already do. Composting the leaves, and then using them on your garden is fairly easy and great for your soil. You can get composting tips from the DNR here.

The downside is that you'll most likely have more leaves than you can actually compost, so it will leave some that still need to be taken care of.

Burn Responsibly

I'm really surprised that the DNR actually listed this as a recommended way to dispose of the leaves. This is probably my least favorite way to get rid of the leaves, and it's definitely the least safe way.

The main thing if you are going to burn is that you make safety your first priority. That includes getting a burn permit if you need one. You can get burn permit information from the DNR here.

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So what are your plans for the leaves this fall? I've been lucky enough to just mow over them so far, but I know that won't last much longer.

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Fall in Michigan is certainly beautiful, but fall in Northern Michigan is nothing short of spectacular.

Here are nine suggested routes for a beautiful color tour, courtesy of the Petoskey Visitors Bureau and the St. Ignace Visitors Guide.

Some routes can be done in about 35 minutes, while others take a couple of hours. Of course, you can spend as much time as you like to soak in the beauty.

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