Why leave fallen leaves in your yard?
Quick answer
Leaving fallen leaves in your yard helps because they break down into free fertilizer and mulch, protect plant roots over winter, and provide shelter for insects like butterfly and moth caterpillars, beetles and fireflies, which birds feed on. The key is to leave them in garden beds and under trees, not in thick layers on the lawn.
Many gardeners now follow the “leave the leaves” idea, encouraged by wildlife and conservation groups. In forests, nobody rakes, and fallen leaves keep the whole system healthy.
The benefits
| Benefit | How it works |
|---|---|
| Free fertilizer | Leaves decompose and return nutrients to the soil |
| Natural mulch | A layer of leaves keeps moisture in and suppresses weeds |
| Winter protection | Leaves insulate roots and bulbs from hard frosts |
| Wildlife habitat | Many insects spend winter in leaf litter as eggs, caterpillars or pupae |
| Less waste | Fewer bags of yard waste sent to landfill |
| Less work | Less raking, blowing and hauling |
Where to leave them, and where not
Leave them:
- In flower beds and around shrubs
- Under trees and along hedges
- In a quiet corner as a wildlife area
Remove or move them from:
- Lawns, where a thick, wet layer can smother grass and encourage disease
- Paths, steps and driveways, where wet leaves are slippery
- Gutters and storm drains, to prevent blockages and flooding
The middle ground: mulch-mowing
If leaves cover your lawn, run a mower over them a few times to shred them into small pieces. The fine pieces sink between the grass blades and feed the soil. You can also rake leaves into garden beds or a pile to make leaf mold, a crumbly soil improver that’s ready in one to two years.
Things to watch for
Remove leaves from plants that had a disease, such as some rose and fruit tree problems, so it doesn’t spread. Don’t burn leaves; it pollutes the air and is banned in many areas.
Why the colors change before they fall: why leaves change color. Planning next season? Here’s how to start a vegetable garden.
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