Get matched with top brush chipping pros in Owen, WI

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 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. 

Unless you plan to use a dump trailer for business purposes, it will be hard to justify the cost of buying one. Even a small, used 6-by-10-foot model could set you back as much as $5,000, and larger, high-quality models can cost up to $15,000 to buy brand-new.

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.