Stop Raking Leaves for a Healthier Eco-Friendly Yard
Society has created the expectation of pristine and sterile yards, but for the health of our planet, we need to rethink these practices. Raking leaves isn’t just a time-consuming chore, it’s also detrimental to soil health, wildlife, and creates pollution. So this autumn, trust in Mother Nature’s systems and leave the leaves.
Free Mulch
Fallen leaves are the perfect organic mulch that costs you nothing and creates no waste. As leaves fall from trees in autumn, they create a barrier for the soil that protects root systems and helps retain moisture.
Mulching is important because bare soil can be damaged by excessive sun exposure. Leaves can be strategically placed in areas to reduce weeds or to protect existing plants.
Leaf mulching doesn’t have to wait until fall though. Fresh leaves from weeding or tree trimming can also be used as natural mulch.
If you weed your yard (especially of invasive species) or trim trees or shrubs, don’t throw those leaves out! Fresh leaves also make for excellent natural mulch.
Healthier Soil
As leaves decompose over time, they create compost that adds nutrients back into the soil. The soil fertilization that happens during autumn directly impacts the growth and yield of your plants during the growing season – so why not do it naturally and for free?
Leaf litter is also a simple and natural way to enhance soil mycelium – the network of fungi that is essential to root growth and overall plant health. Leaving the leaves is perhaps the easiest, cheapest, most hassle-free way to fertilize your yard
Mycelium Photo by Kirill Ignatyev
Animal Habitats
By raking leaves, you’re destroying the habitats of native wildlife. Many animals rely on fallen leaves for shelter during cold weather including frogs and toads, salamanders, chipmunks, snakes, bats, turtles, and thousands of species of insects.
In fact, 94% of moth species rely on the layer of fallen leaves at some stage of their lifecycle. And a concerningly high amount of these animals, especially insects and amphibians, are facing threatened or endangered status due to habitat loss.
Birds also rely on this layer of leaf litter as a place to hunt for insects. In fact, about 96% of “backyard birds” use the moth and butterfly caterpillars that overwinter in fallen leaves to feed their young in the spring. That means a reduction in already declining bird populations directly related to raking leaves.
Reduce Waste & Pollution
Gas-powered leaf blowers and other lawn maintenance equipment are a growing and unnecessary issue for the planet. In fact, using these types of machinery for only one hour a week is equivalent to driving a car 600 miles.
“By 2020, gas-powered leaf blowers, lawn mowers, and similar equipment in the state could produce more ozone pollution than all the millions of cars in California combined.”
If you must use a leaf blower, an electric-powered one is much more ideal, although it does still cause pollution and use energy.
Additionally, many people collect their leaves in trash bags, creating unnecessary waste.
If your HOA or other ordinances require the removal of leaves, look into local leaf drop-off centers where your leaf litter will be composted instead of wasted.
Or even better – devote just a small area of your yard that can’t be seen from the street to being a “wild area” and place your leaf piles there.