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This depends on how many leaves there are. Mowing over dry and crisp leaves with a bagging attachment saves most homeowners a lot of time. If you have a smaller lawn and few leaves to mulch, you can put the leaves into a stand-alone mulcher resembling a wood chipper and collect the mulch from a hopper. This prevents having to do multiple passes with a mower.

You’ll need to kill the earwigs using traps or insecticides, and then prevent them from entering your home. Make sure you fix leaks and seal up all cracks and crevices. You can use a dehumidifier to cut the moisture and drive earwigs out.

The most common alternative is burning the stump first, then dealing with the cinders and ashes. As you can imagine, this option creates fire hazards, especially since roots can burn underground, hidden, for long afterward. That’s why many states and cities have outlawed the use of stump burning entirely. We do not recommend this option as a viable alternative unless you get a permit from the local fire department and practice all safe burning procedures.

Others prefer a more long-term DIY approach of degrading the stump with home mixtures like Epsom salt and vinegar injected directly into it. This may help the stump decay faster, allowing homeowners to dig it out themselves, but it’s still a lengthy process. It usually takes months for a stump to start falling apart with such treatments, and in the meantime, it can be vulnerable to rot, insects, and other problems.

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.