Leave the Leaves

Welcome to autumn, the season of brightly colored, falling leaves. Although you may feel pressured to keep your yard neat, you might actually come out ahead in the spring if you go easy on the fall clean-up. Read on to learn how leaves can help wildlife survive the winter—one of several reasons why it may be helpful to “leave the leaves.”
Leaving the leaves is not just an excuse to avoid an unpleasant chore, it is actually very beneficial for many creatures that visit your yard. Leaves provide a natural fertilizer for the garden. A thin layer of leaves on the lawn will naturally rot and break down over the winter, giving the grass a healthy boost in the spring. Larger piles of leaves provide places for bugs and birds to forage for food.

Leaves provide an excellent habitat for creatures such as salamanders, snails, worms, and toads. Some insects lay eggs in the leaves, and as they metamorphose to the caterpillar stage, they provide much-needed food for birds. As leaves decompose, they enrich the soil and become rich in natural aerators like earthworms. 

If you are not able to just leave the leaves, you can still do several things that will make a difference for the critters that live in your yard. For example, rake the leaves over your garden beds or into a corner of the yard. This will provide a place for the wildlife that needs shelter while still allowing you to enjoy the open areas of your yard. You can mulch the leaves into your grass with the lawnmower, which will provide a layer of protection for beneficial insects and give the grass some fertilizer.

To protect the wildlife in your yard, there are other work-saving things you can do as you get ready for winter. Instead of cutting back all the perennials, leave them standing. Their seeds provide valuable food for birds. As a bonus, you can enjoy watching the birds forage through your garden.

If you have space, you can build a brush pile with fallen tree limbs. The brush pile provides shelter for winter birds and protects them from predators and severe weather. Rabbits, snakes, and other wildlife will also take refuge there. A brush pile is also a great place to dispose of your Christmas tree. Over the winter the brush will settle and leave space for next year's additions.

When spring comes you can cut back the perennials, remove what is left of the leaves and put them in the compost pile, and enjoy the fruits of your "lazy fall clean up." You will be treated to butterflies, birds, and other small animals who made it through the winter because you provided a home for them.

For more information, go to:

Leave the Leaves to Benefit Wildlife | Xerces Society   

Plants for Birds (audubon.org)