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If you don’t have too many fallen leaves, one option is to leave them in place. They’ll eventually decompose, adding vital nutrients to the soil. But if you have a thick layer of leaves smothering your lawn, you’ll want to either mulch them or bag them up for removal. If you choose to collect and bag your leaves, check with your local municipality on any specific guidelines to dispose of them. Many cities offer curbside pickup if the leaves are disposed of in yard waste bags or containers. 

Generally, it is not necessary to remove old mulch before applying a new layer. As organic mulch breaks down, it enriches the soil with nutrients. However, you should remove the old layer if it shows signs of fungus or disease, which can be common in moist areas, or if the total depth is already too thick. Avoid letting the total mulch depth exceed 3 inches, as this can harm plant roots. If you do remove old, disease-free mulch, it can be added to a compost pile.

Leaf removal isn’t usually necessary, and in fact, leaving leaves where they fall or mulching them instead can provide nutrients to your soil that can be good for your lawn and garden beds. Most homeowners prefer the look of a lawn that is neat and clean, though, so the majority of people prefer to pay for leaf removal. There are some cases where you might have to pay for leaf removal, like if you live in a strict homeowners association that mandates the service or a generally clean lawn.

Depending on the method you choose to remove grass, it may or may not matter whether the grass is wet or dry when you perform the task. A dryer lawn will be easier to negotiate with a sod cutter, especially if you're not planning to reuse the turf. However, using a shovel by hand might be a little easier if the ground is slightly damp but not so much that it sticks to the tool.