On 08/11/2012 13:29, Another John wrote:
Hi

Last year I was asked to look after a large, rather wild, garden for a
friend. There is about 1/2 acre of grass: it's rather rough and ready,
and undulates all over the place, but it's kept cut for playing on
(rather than as a _lawn_).

It's surrounded by trees, and this year there is a fairly heavy carpet
of leaves all over the grass (mainly due to its having been so still in
the last week or so, when the leaves started to fall).

I've made a start on raking up the leaves (which I don't mind doing),
but I'm thinking: is this worthwhile?

Generally yes unless it is a woodland. You don't have to be
perfectionist about it, but large piles of leaves will kill the grass
underneath over a winter.

Would it be better to leave them in order to provide protection against
frost snow and ice?

Grass survives frost without any problem.

Or better to clear them, to prevent the underlying grass being killed by
a sodden blanket of dead leaves?

It doesn't like seeing no light and having no air at all.

BTW I have access to a ride-on mower, but it doesn't collect: mulches,
or throws to one side.

Pity. One with a grass box would do it nicely.


--
Regards,
Martin Brown