NORFOLK, Va. — Having to rake leaves over and over again as they continue to fall in our area can be a bit tedious. Don’t you just wish you didn’t have to? Well, it turns out, you don’t!
Experts tell me that leaving the leaves alone can help the environment. They say by cleaning up your leaves, you’re robbing your yard of natural resources.
Also, when using your lawnmowers and leaf blowers, you’re creating pollution.
But luckily, there are alternatives that can save you time and money. You can keep the leaves on your lawn as is or compost them in a little used corner of your backyard. This can help support a healthier ecosystem.
Here's how it works: When you do this, you can create natural mulch that will help keep weeds at bay, protect the roots of your trees from the winter chill, prevent moisture loss in the soil, and as the leaves break down, they naturally will fertilize and enrich your soil. Not to mention, the leaves provide a habitat for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife that like to overwinter in leaves.
Ellen Powell, conservation education coordinator for the Virginia Department of Forestry, says the leaves can create a natural look in your yard.
“Start small, give it a try. Make a flower bed and leave some piles of leaves in out-of-the-way places where it won't bother you to see them, and just kind of enjoy that natural look," shared Powell. "It's what you'd see when you're, you know, looking through the woods in Virginia. You see a naturally mulched understory of the forests.”
Powell tells me you can mow over the leaves throughout the season to create smaller bits that will break down faster. You can also rake them into an unused corner of your garden and let nature take its course.
