Leave the leaves

At last autumn has arrived, and we seem to be enjoying a nice cooling of temperatures suited to the season (although we could use a little more rain).

Leaves are beginning to change and starting to fall. The fall tradition of leaf raking and removal has been challenged in recent years: the mantra these days is “leave the leaves”! It’s one that can’t be repeated enough, as the habit of raking up and removing the leaves has become culturally entrenched.

I used to have a job as a landscaper in Moore County, and autumn became my least favorite time of the year. It meant endless hours of blowing leaves onto a tarp, loading a dump truck full of leaves, and doing this from house to house for several weeks, until all the leaves were off the trees and off the lawn. It takes time to convince people that fallen leaves are not a mess, and will not kill the grass. Scientists at the National Wildlife Federation are urging homeowners to “leave the leaves” – don’t remove them, let them stay on the ground, gradually decomposing throughout fall and winter.

There are several reasons to follow this guidance. First, sending bagged leaves to the landfill is a problem. Leaves in the landfill is a waste of valuable and increasingly limited space. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, yard debris takes up 13% of the solid waste space of the entire country, about 33 million tons per year. All this waste also contributes to methane gas, a potent greenhouse gas which contributes to climate change. By tweaking our perception of how we manage fall leaves we can keep them out of the landfill where they don’t take up valuable real estate and contribute to the problem of climate change.

There is yet another, perhaps more important, reason to let the leaves fall where they may: wildlife benefits. Leaf litter provides essential wildlife habitat to many different animals. Turtles, toads, birds, mammals, and many invertebrates (insects of all kinds) use leaf litter for food, shelter, and nesting material. Many butterfly and moth species rely on the protection of fallen leaves for overwintering in all stages of growth, from adults, eggs, larva and pupae (cocoons). Some examples include the great spangled fritillary and wooly bear caterpillars, which use litter as protection from both cold and predators. Solitary native bees overwinter in the ground, in logs, or branches and leaves provide an extra layer of insulation for their nesting sites. In addition to leaves providing critical support for wildlife through the winter, there are other benefits of “leaving the leaves”. Fallen leaves create a beneficial natural mulch without the cost of buying pinestraw, pinebark, or other purchased mulches. Like mulches you may pay for, the leaves suppress weeds, hold in moisture, and gradually break down, adding organic matter and nutrients to the soil.

The National Wildlife Federation has tips for making the most of your fallen leaves.

· For the lawn: a few leaves are fine on grass and won’t cause damage. They will decompose and add organic matter and nutrients to the soil, improving lawn growing conditions.

· If having a perfect lawn is a priority, the leaves can be raked or blown off the lawn and into flower and shrub beds or the property perimeter under trees, where they will benefit the plants as the leaves break down over time.

· In an out of the way spot, make a brush shelter for wildlife: combine leaves with branches, sticks and stems. Pile them together to create a shelter. In the spring it will break down and go back to the earth. Extra leaves can be piled in this area, and held in place with branches and sticks.

· Past guidance often suggested “mulching” leaves by mowing over them. While there are some benefits of chopping the leaves up into smaller pieces (they will break down more quickly), you will likely also destroy the animals that hide or disguise themselves in the leaves. Use this process as little as possible.

As the leaves begin to fall this year, consider the benefits of letting them stay on the ground. Not only will it benefit the environment, your soil, and wildlife, think of all the hours you’ll save not raking and hauling leaves! Spread the word: get the entire neighborhood on board! Remember, you’re not lazy, you’re a conservationist!

For more information on how to garden with nature, contact NC Cooperative Extension, Richmond County Center, at 910-997-8255. Visit our website, www.richmond.ces.ncsu.edu and follow us on Facebook.