Leave the Leaves

Gas-powered leaf blowers and other landscape equipment also emit massive amounts of carbon. According to this report by USPIRG, “Operating a commercial lawn mower for just one hour produces as much smog-forming pollution as driving 300 miles in a car. Using a commercial leaf blower is even more polluting, emitting as much smog-forming pollution as driving 1,100 miles in a car.” As if noise and air pollution aren’t bad enough, leaf blowers’ powerful force blows particulate matter into the air we breathe: not just dust and pollen, but latent chemicals such as fertilizers and herbicides.

So, what is the best thing to do with leaves once they drop from those beautiful trees and fall into our yards? The answer is (drumroll, please) it’s best to do nothing! Leave them on the lawn (which you’re working very hard to turn into beds of native shrubs and perennials, right?) to break down naturally. If there are too many, you can gently rake them around trees and in flower and vegetable gardens to provide natural cover and protection. They’ll break down during the winter, feeding the plants for next spring’s beauty.

The other huge benefit of letting leaves remain in our yards is what those leaves offer pollinators and other bugs that need them to overwinter. The beautiful monarch migrates south in the winter, but most of our native butterflies, moths, and beetles stay right here! Pennsylvania State Extension offers these benefits to leaving the leaves: “Butterflies and moths, such as swallowtails, fritillaries, and the Luna moth usually overwinter in chrysalids, cleverly blending in with leaves and dead stalks in the garden and wild areas. Fireflies and native bees hide in leaf litter or create burrows underground and stay within an inch or two of the surface. Some bees utilize natural cavities, such as hollow stems from pithy plants and grasses or tunnels into dead wood created by feeding beetles, to escape the cold. As gardeners, we can help our winged friends by creating safe habitat for overwintering and resisting the urge to clean out the garden too early in the season. Not only will leaf litter and dried stems provide habitat for insects, but also dead seed heads can be a food source for overwintering and migrating birds.” 

If we want pollinators, we have to have pollinator habitat. This fall, please consider leaving the leaves and providing a home for insect friends!

Jean Siers is the Regional Director of Society of St. Andrew’s Delmarva office; a WET board member; and University of Maryland Master Gardener intern.