I have a massive magnolia tree in my backyard. It's fall, and it has dropped a lot of its seed pods. During the fall there weren't that many, and I just mowed over them and they seemed to disappear. However, there are probably well over a hundred around the tree right now.
Will they break down and deteriorate naturally, or should I rake them up to get rid of them?
Probably better to rake them up and dispose of them if there are that many - whilst they will break down over time, it does mean they'll be sitting there a while, and if the area is grassed, or there are plants covered in seed pods beneath, its not too healthy to leave them in situ.
They will break apart, but very slowly - it may take two years.
However, instead of disposing them, you can do some useful things with them.
If you or your friend keep frog tanks, you can use magnolia seed pods there:
I now have them in many tanks and they seem to work out well. I also put them in my water features with my groups of Anthonyi and the tadpoles seem to like to hang out around them. Several have been directly in the water for several months now and are still holding up very well.
Also, if you collect and keep them in one place, you get free microfauna hotel.
Or, you can use them as very useful components of insect hotels like this one:
(source: elmundo.es)
They will deteriorate,especially with help of a lawn mower. It depends on what yard you want ; for a smooth "golf course" lawn ,pick them up. I have a poor lawn so don't care;I planted about 8 southern magnolias, the southern pines,sweetgums were already here. So before mowing there are magnolia pods,pine cones and sweetgum balls all over ,after mowing ,not so much.
