Thanks to Token I got the blade for my mower. I have been raking the leaves into a long row and then I just mow right over with the bag on. Distribute them in flower beds etc and voila I have mulch. I am careful to keep it thin . So far so good and I am saving bags and backbreaking pick up of leaves, adding to my garden...so far it is all a +++

Maple leaves break down quicker than most. Oak leaves take into mid summer in my garden. Pine needles last about a year for me.

I wish I had a lawnmower with a bag on it. Instead, I use a blower/vac with a bedsheet bag. Kiddo told me about someone using a bedsheet sown together to make a huge sack. It takes some grunting to move it when full, but it works great. I've been collecting and spreading leaves for a couple weeks too.

It was great advice. Thank you!

The bed sheet bag is terrific! I'll have to dig out some old sheets I put on the rag pile in the garage. In the meantime, I think I'll use the hose that came with my Garden Groom hedge shear machine, unzipping the bag attachment from the end of the hose and sticking the hose right into my garbage bag lined trash can. I suppose the thing will keep flying off either the vac or the edge of the can - will have to come up with something to fix that. Worth a try.

I got two and half bags down today so that's a total of five and a half bags of shredded leaves. And I learned something that you all probably know - damp leaves in a closed plastic bag get very very hot and will start smoking!
That's what I discovered Sunday when I went to empty the bags the neighbor boys had raked for me ($2 a bag raked from their yard). I put my hands in there and it was HOT.
So I left four bags open in the barn, but this morning one happened to be sitting in the morning sun and it was cooking too! Can they become combustible? Sorry to hijack the thread.