Editing just to say thanks to everyone who has contributed. The responses make perfect sense!
In: Biology
A few things,
In cold temps, plants go into hibernation mode. It uses the energy it stored up to ride out the covering of snow.
Also leaves are highly acidic. To many in a given area will change the properties of the soil.
Finally, is the leaf still living?
Fresh leaves still absorb sunlight, even off the tree!
The moisture buildup, warmth, and lack of airflow kills the grass. Basically starts a mini-compost pile. Look up what happens when you cover soil with cardboard sheets.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheet_mulching](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheet_mulching)
I don’t agree with other comments here about leaves being acidic or lack of nitrogen in the leaves. It’s not like grass will die without a steady stream of organic N being fed to it, and composting leaves typically don’t have any substantial effect on soil pH (and the top leaves don’t decompose fast enough to have any effect at all).
Snow is white and your plant friends will still see the light and be able to breath, but they are sleeping now, so it’s not a big deal anyway.
The grass underneath dies from lack of sun.
Snow is mostly air and very light permeable.
I had a tabletennis table on my lawn one whole summer and all the grass in the shadow underneath was completely gone, while the one we were trampling while playing was doing fine.
If they’re sitting on the same pile for ages, this will first of all, restrict oxygen and sunlight to specified patch.
Second of all, the nutrients from the pile will scorch the ground underneath as it’s too concentrated!
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