Navigation

Fall’s Collection Call

Autumn is in full swing in Wisconsin. As you rake and collect leaves in the coming weeks, you may be tempted to sneak them in the trash, pile them on the curb, or set them ablaze, but there are many easy, more environmentally friendly ways to dispose of autumn’s bounty.

1. “Leaf” them on your lawn

Use your mower to mulch leaves into your lawn. The mower cuts the leaves into small pieces, which then fall beneath the grass canopy, returning nutrients to the soil and providing food for beneficial insects and microbes.

2. Compost

Composting requires a delicate balance of nutrients from yard and food waste. When composting leaves, add nitrogen-rich material such as grass clippings and fruit and vegetable scraps to the pile to help it break down.

3. Make a mulch

Leaves provide a great winter groundcover. Shred your leaves and pile them atop your annual garden or around perennial plants and shrubs for insulation and protection. Then, in spring, simply till the leaves into the garden.

If these options aren’t available, be wise. Take your leaves directly to a local yard waste collection site and /or check the leaf pick-up regulations in your community.

To learn more, visit http://www.cleanwisconsin.org.