Enlighten Me: Why you should leave the leaves alone in your yard this fall

By Kyle McKinnon

Published September 27, 2024 at 9:10 AM EDT

Autumn leaves create a natural mulch that fertilizes the soil and provides a habitat for insects and other creatures. — Autumn leaves create a natural mulch that fertilizes the soil and benefits wildlife and the environment.

The autumn season is underway and with it comes fallen leaves of orange, yellow, and gold that blanket our yards.

That also typically means the long and tedious process of raking and bagging leaves, but what if taking the lazy way out means a healthier, more environmentally friendly yard?

In this edition of Enlighten Me, Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon talks with Susan Barton – professor of plant and soil sciences at the University of Delaware – about the benefits of leaving the leaves alone this fall.

UD professor Susan Barton discusses the benefits of letting fallen leaves decompose naturally with DPM's Kyle McKinnon

Autumn is underway and with it comes colorful fallen leaves that blanket our yards and lawns.

But experts say instead of raking and bagging up those fallen leaves, you should just leave the leaves alone.

According to Susan Barton, professor of plant and soil sciences at the University of Delaware, leaves create a natural mulch that fertilizes the soil and provides a sustainable habitat for insects and other wildlife.

Barton says letting the leaves lie in your yard is a paradigm shift and people need to be more intentional with how they use their home landscape.

“We need lawn to play on, we need lawn as a gathering space, and we need lawn as circulation around the landscape,” Barton said. “So, our lawns should be purposeful in the ways that we use lawn, rather than just the default vegetation of the home landscape.”

Barton adds that leaving the leaves and reusing them keeps them out of landfills, where most autumn leaves usually end up.

“If you put them in black plastic bags and leave them at the end of your driveway, they’re gonna end up in a landfill,” Barton said. “But if you chip them up and use the chipped-up leaves as mulch, then you’re reusing that resource. Chipped-up leaves are an extremely attractive mulch.”