10/07/2025
Are those really leaves you're raking? Or are they sleeping pollinators, important components of the food web, or other beneficial creatures? Many moth and butterfly species build cocoons out of leaves. Other species nestle among them for a long winter's rest, alongside vertebrates like frogs, snakes, and lizards that eat your garden pests.
Leaving fallen leaves in place, or simply moving them into designated areas, has SO many benefits:
* Suppress weeds, retain moisture, insulate perennials, and enrich your soil for happy lawns and gardens in the spring
* Regulate soil temperatures to reduce and prevent erosion
* Provide habitat for native wildlife
* Get your weekends back
It's a myth that leaves will smother your lawn--in fact, it's just the opposite! Unless they're packed in a dense matted layer, leaves decompose quickly and add nutrients back into your soil. You'll be greeted with denser, healthier grass in the spring!
Take a break from the back-busting raking and let the air-polluting leaf blower stay in the garage. Don't stuff nature into a plastic bag and send it to the landfill--leave your leaves this fall!
