There are several ways to clean up the leaves in your yard. The options include blowing them away in a nearby forest, waiting for leaf vacuum trucks to take them away or allowing them to decompose naturally. Follow these tips to learn more leaf removal options:
- Contact your local town officials and ask them about the fall cleanup policy. Your municipality may have specific regulations on how to dispose of leaves and should give you the necessary instructions.
- If you own a piece of land (woods or fields) near your property, use a leaf blower to blow the leaves into these areas where they can decompose. First, check whether your town has ordinances controlling leaf blowing.
- Gather the leaves into piles using a rake or leaf blower and put them into bags. Some local governments send trucks to pick up leaves each fall, so have the bags ready when they come.
- Alternatively, if you know your town sends leaf vacuum trucks each fall, gather the leaves into piles at the curb and wait for the trucks to come and take them away.
- WARNING: when gathering leaves at the curb, don’t block the fire hydrants or the storm drains and make sure you don’t park cars near the piles to avoid fire hazards.
- An earth-friendly option is to shred the leaves (using a lawn mower with a mulching blade) and leave them on the lawn to decompose naturally. This not only enriches the soil, but it’s a faster way to dispose of leaves, too.
- Add the leaves and other carbon-rich plant material to your existing compost piles. You can also make a new compost pile from the leaves and dead plants in your yard. Just keep them moist and turn them periodically.
- Burning leaves is not recommended, as it causes pollution, health problems and fire hazards. Keep in mind that burning is banned in some states. However, if you choose to do so, find out if and when your town permits burning and take all the safety measures.
Large piles of leaves can sometimes result in accidental fires, so keep a fire extinguisher or sand nearby just in case. For professional fire, mold and water restoration services, contact your local PuroClean office.
