Leave the Leaves! 5 easy ways to repurpose fall leaves in your yard

Did you know? Leaf litter provides important winter habitat for insects and other invertebrates? There is an entire ecosystem in your leaves!

Top benefits of fall leaves:

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Can act as a natural mulch.

Help retain moisture in the ground.

Provide a warm winter blanket for insects.

Provide a natural fertilizer when they break down.

The worst place fall leaves can end up is the landfill. Here are ways you can repurpose them in your yard instead!

Add a few inches of leaves around landscaping plants to protect them over the winter.

1. Add leaves to your landscaping

Add a layer to your vegetable garden to enrich the soil over the winter and suppress weeds.

2. Cover your vegetable garden 

Keep a pile of leaves to slowly break down and form "leaf mold". This organic matter is great for adding to your garden.

3. Make a leaf pile and let it be

Keep a bag of leaves next to your compost bin to mix in periodically with food scraps and garden clippings.

4. Add to your compost bin

Mulch the leaves with a lawn mower to help them break down and fertilize your lawn.

5. Mow the leaves into your yard

Make your yard a wildlife habitat with these easy tips:

Want to help the Earth from your own yard?