How to Leave the Leaves: Tips from Expert Doug Tallamy
As leaves fall and the call to “leave the leaves” rises—from major news outlets to your next door neighbor—you may find yourself scratching your head as to how, exactly, to leave the leaves. Photography by Joy Yagid. When one species goes extinct or its population declines severely, it can have a negative ripple effect on other species and the ecosystem as a whole. Q: Why do you think people don’t leave the leaves? We’ve been conditioned to think that we have to clean up the leaves, but fallen leaves are not only beautiful, they help the soil. A: We do what we observed when we were kids. You either burn them or you put them out in the curb for the city to take away, but you have to take them off your lawn and do something with them. Q: What’s the easiest way to start? A: Well, there is a conflict between having that perfect lawn and and the leaves that fall on the lawn. So people say “I gotta get the leaves off the lawn.” [The solution is to reduce] the area you have in lawn. Q: Does it matter what kind of leaves you have? What are the best leaves for this? Leave the leaves around a tree. You never want to have bare ground Maple leaves tulip tree leaves and birch they all break down really quickly so if that... ...s your leaf base you re going to have bare soil before the end of July and then your soil community really suffers This includes the mycorrhizae and all of the creatures that are breaking down those leaves. If you want to help your lawn (not get rid of it), mow the leaves in place (several times if necessary to get them small enough) and leave the pulverized leaves on the lawn. Q: How does one deal with an HOA or municipal regulations about lawns? A: Well, the lawn you keep is going to be mowed. But you’ve still got that mowed strip of grass surrounding that, and it’s neat and your HOA says, okay, you are taking care of your property.