Introduction

Fall is a beautiful time of year, but it can also be a bit messy. Leaves and yard waste often find their way into our yards, driveways, and garages. However, there are ways to manage this common problem and keep your home looking beautiful while doing so! The first step is to identify what kinds of organic matter you have in your yard. Here’s a breakdown:

Fall Leaves

You can use fall leaves as an organic fertilizer for your lawn and garden. Leaves are a great source of nutrients for plants, so their use as mulch is a common practice across the country. Fall leaves can also be composted into black gold for your garden or potted plants, or bagged and left for collection by your local city or county services.

Yard Waste

The most important thing to know about yard waste is that it’s not garbage. While you can always compost the grass clippings and other materials from your yard, they’re often not suitable to be recycled because they’re too organic or small. In this case, it’s best to use a service that will pick up your yard waste and take care of it for you. This way your yard gets clean and free of clutter while helping reduce landfill waste as well!

To learn more about how we separate our waste at home (and even how we make our own compost!), check out our blog post on “12 Tips for Reducing Waste at Home”.

Recycling

As you’re raking leaves, you may be wondering if there are other ways to recycle them. The answer is yes! But it’s important to check with your local recycling rules. For example, in some places you can use leaves as mulch or compost them instead of throwing them away.

In addition to being able to recycle leaves and yard waste in your community, there are several other things that can be done with these natural resources:

• Grass clippings: Grass clippings are biodegradable and have a high moisture content (about 80%), which makes them ideal for adding nutrients back into the soil when applied directly after mowing or raking. Grass clippings will decompose faster if they are first allowed to dry out; a good way to do this is by putting them in an open bag and letting nature do its job!

Composting

We’re huge fans of composting here at Arbor Day Foundation. It’s a great way to help keep your yard waste from going into landfills and has many benefits, including:

• Saves money on fertilizer (because you’re using composted material as fertilizer)
• Saves money on trash (because all your yard waste will be reused in your garden, not thrown away)
• Saves money on garbage disposal (because you won’t be throwing away leaves anymore!)

Consider all options for fall leaves and yard waste.

Consider all options for fall leaves and yard waste. There are a number of different options for disposing of your fall leaves and yard waste, including composting it yourself or hiring a professional to do it for you. If you choose to compost, be aware that there are two main methods: traditional (non-commercial) backyard composting and commercial composting facilities. You can also hire professionals to help with recycling or disposing of your leaves in the landfill.

Here’s what we recommend:

• Compost at home: If you live within the city limits, check with them first before starting a backyard compost pile so that they can make sure it’s permitted by your local rules and regulations. Then follow these basic steps:

Conclusion

Fall is a great time to get outside and enjoy your yard. So whether you’re dealing with fall leaves or yard waste, it’s important to be mindful of your options. Consider all of the ways in which you can dispose of these items so that they don’t end up harming our environment or going to waste!