By Andrew Bunting, PHS VP of Horticulture 

In recent years, a movement called "Leave the Leaves" has gained popularity. Traditionally, in the fall, gardeners and homeowners have worked hard to clear leaves from their lawns and gardens. Often, the leaves are raked to the curb for the city to collect, or they’re bagged for removal. In some cases, people even burn the leaves to get rid of them. 

However, instead of raking leaves, simply leaving the leaves is a much more ecological approach to gardening. This also helps avoid using trash bags and prevents leaves from ending up in landfills. While some cities turn collected leaves into compost, this process still uses fossil fuels to gather and shred the leaves. Burning leaves releases greenhouse gases, which contribute to climate change. By simply leaving leaves in your garden, you can reduce the need for gas-powered lawnmowers and leaf blowers, further cutting down on pollution. Read on to discover how leaves can be beneficial to your garden! 

Managing the Leaves in the Fall 

As the leaves begin to drop in the fall you can begin raking them and spread them between your perennials, shrubs, and trees. If you can, leave the leaves whole and allow leaf-eating insects and millipedes to naturally break them down. Some leaves, like those from oak, sycamore, or catalpa trees, may be too large. Raking these larger leaves into the lawn and cutting them into smaller pieces with a lawnmower can make them easier to spread in your garden beds. 

Leaves Help Boost Your Soil’s Health 

Leaving leaves in your garden beds adds organic material to the soil, which helps improve soil health. This organic matter reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and supports the micro-organisms that live in the soil. 

Leaves in your garden beds can also act as a natural fertilizer. As they decompose, they form a layer that helps retain moisture and prevents weeds from growing in the spring. This is especially useful in vegetable gardens, where you can spread leaves between rows to act as natural mulch and add nutrients. Leaving leaves in place can also help prevent soil erosion. 

If you have a lot of trees, there simply might be too many leaves to effectively use as mulch in your garden beds. If this is the case, you can add the extra leaves to your compost pile. Over the fall and into spring, the leaves will break down and turn into leaf compost, which nourishes the soil and can be used to enrich your garden or in containers and planters. 

Leaves are Essential to Creating Habitat 

Leaving leaves in the garden is critical for creating habitat for lizards, birds, turtles, frogs, and snails. Nearly 70 percent of all native bee species nest in the ground, so leaving the leaves undisturbed will create the best habitat for bees and other overwintering pollinators.  

In recent years, there has been a decline in fireflies. The larvae of fireflies are carnivorous and need decomposing leaves to attract snails, slugs, and earthworms for them to feed on. Like many other insects, fireflies also overwinter in fallen leaves, so leaving them in your yard can help protect the firefly population!

Other Approaches to Creating Habitat 

Another climate-friendly fall gardening practice is waiting to cutback perennials until the spring. Many overwintering insects take refuge in hollow stems on perennials and grasses. Waiting to cut these plants back until the spring will create additional habitat for native insects. 

In addition, consider adding small habitat piles throughout the garden. Any garden debris, including small branches and twigs with leaves can artfully be stacked into piles. These piles will slowly decompose, but additionally will be sites of habitat for birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. 

The Future of Gardening

A “fall cleanup” is as much a part of our autumnal activities as Halloween and watching football games. Generations of gardeners have raked and removed leaves from their gardens. “Leaving the leaves” is a new approach to the garden. This is an aesthetic approach that needs to be promoted to be fully understood by your neighbors, Homeowners Associations (HOAs), and beyond.  

One way you can spread the word about this gardening approach is through social media – take pictures and document your progress in the garden using the hashtag #leavetheleaves. This work can also be promoted in local municipalities through the EAC (Environmental Advisory Committee). Some committees or societies, including The Xerces Society for the protection of invertebrates and their habitats, offer a “Leave the Leaves” yard sign which can provide further explanation. 

Leaving leaves in your garden is an easy and effective way to create habitat for many animals, birds, and insects. It also adds valuable organic matter to your soil, helping your garden thrive in the spring. In nature, leaves naturally fall to the ground and start breaking down. In spring, perennial plants push through the leaves, and as the leaves continue to decompose, the leaves act as mulch and keep weeds in check. By leaving leaves in your garden, you can mimic nature while creating a healthy environment for both plants and wildlife.