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While you don’t need to put anything down before mulch, you can apply a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent weed growth. As long as you remove weeds before you spread mulch, you should be in the clear. But a herbicide is something that you can put down before mulch as an extra layer of protection.

If composting feels too complicated, mulching is an effective alternative. While composting focuses on breaking down yard waste to feed the soil, mulching uses that same organic material as a protective top layer. It's a quick way to get value from leaves, grass clippings, and other yard debris without the time or effort composting requires.

You can choose between weekly leaf removal services throughout the fall or a single cleanup at the end of the season. If you want to maintain a pristine lawn, weekly service is a good idea to keep up with falling leaves. Alternatively, if you prioritize saving money, you can wait until all or most of the trees on your property are bare and pay for a one-time service. In most areas, this is typically in early to mid-November. While a single service is more budget-friendly, your yard will not remain leaf-free for the entire season.

Although palm trees are self-pruning and will eventually remove their own brown leaves with new growth, there are a couple of instances when you might still want to go ahead and do the work yourself. For example, remove brown palm leaves if you live in an area with a greater risk of wildfires or if the leaves obstruct your pathway. But as long as the leaves pose no safety hazards, you don’t have to worry about pruning them.