For many, a leaf-strewn yard is a nuisance, a mess to be cleaned up and hauled away. Leaves are seen as a detriment to the idyllic American lawn. If you’re an organic gardener, you may look at fall leaves in a different light—you might see free, nutrient-rich mulch, and a perfect carbon source to accompany the nitrogenous kitchen scraps in your compost pile. If you’re an entomologist or a pollinator advocate, fall leaves look like something different entirely. Let’s take a look at how ‘leaving the leaves’ can support pollinators.  

If you’ve ever strolled through a deciduous forest in the colder months you’ve probably noticed that, unlike the average lawn, no one rakes up the leaves. Instead, these fallen former solar panels accumulate on the forest floor and persist for many months to come. The leaves not only reintroduce carbon and other nutrients into the soil as they decompose, they also harbor their own little living world. For the smaller critters of the forest, the layer of leaves, also known as duff, can provide shelter from the elements, much-needed microclimates, camouflage, and even a crunchy, carbon-rich snack.

The majority of butterfly and moth species in temperate climates seek refuge among fallen leaves during the winter months, capitalizing on the many benefits previously mentioned. Different species of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) can be found overwintering in any one of the four distinct life stages these creatures occupy: egg, caterpillar, pupa, or adult. Take the red-banded hairstreak, for example—these delicate beauties lay their eggs on the underside of fallen oak leaves. When the caterpillars emerge they munch on these leaves to their hearts’ content and gear up for a harsh winter made livable thanks to their detritus home. 

Fall is the perfect time to start composting. Read below to find out why!

In fall, leaves from deciduous trees coat the ground. This layer of organic matter represents an opportunity to build your garden’s soil, protect your lawn during the colder months, and create habitat for pollinators. In order to take full advantage of the leaves in your yard, try leaf composting. 

The Benefits of Leaf Compost

As leaves decompose, they form a beneficial soil amendment which can increase the health of your garden or lawn in a number of ways. 

1. Leaf compost increases soil porosity, which means more room for water and air to flow around plants’ roots. 
2. Compost also raises the soil’s fertility by adding nutrients like carbon and nitrogen.
3. The dark, rich, organic matter left by the decomposition of leaves retains moisture, loosens compacted earth, and increases the particle size of your garden soil.
4. Leaf compost can be used as a mulch or top dressing to repel weeds from your garden.

 

Composting leaves isn’t just good for your garden; this single act benefits the whole Asheville community. 

When residents of the City of Asheville bag their leaves and place them on the roadside, the city expends resources collecting and processing these leaves. This means taxpayer money must be allocated to removing a beneficial resource, which could enhance many backyards instead of ending up at an industrial composting site. The collection, transportation, and processing of leaf compost uses fossil fuels, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. 

Leaves bagged up and placed by the road may end up tipping into storm drains, where they slow or stop the flow of water. By clogging neighborhood storm drains, these leaves can lead to roadside flooding. When the leaves do pass through the drains, they enter nearby streams. Huge amounts of leaves pour into the waterway from neighborhood storm drains. This leads to eutrophication: an overload of nutrients in the water that causes oxygen depletion and, in extreme cases, large-scale fish kills or algae blooms. 

Remember: If you must bag your leaves for curbside pickup, use paper bags! Using paper bags smooths out the whole composting process because paper bags are compostable, just like leaves.


How to Compost Leaves

Simple leaf composting takes less work than creating a traditional compost. 

In traditional compost, you fill a bin with 3 parts brown material to 1 part green material. Brown material is primarily Carbon; it’s the building block of life on earth. The green material (ex. kitchen scraps and yard trimmings) contributes Nitrogen to the compost mix. Nitrogen-rich “greens” have a habit of getting stinky and attracting pests when not properly mixed with Carbon-rich “browns.” If you already have a compost pile going, fallen leaves are a valuable “brown” material used to balance the ratio of Carbon to Nitrogen. Composting isn’t hard, but leaf composting is even easier.

Just add leaves. 

1. Pile your leaves in a corner of the yard for an easy, out-of-the-way option. Thanks to natural decomposing microbes, you can rake your leaves into a pile and forget about them. Once the winter is over, the once large pile will be a small mound of nutrient-rich humus.
2. Construct a bin using wire mesh or wood for more control. If you like a tidier look, try a bin. It’s best to stir the leaves once a month or so in order to promote aeration, which helps microbes to decompose the material. A basic compost bin is 3 square feet, large enough to hold moisture and heat, but not so large as to be unmanageable.
3. Leave the leaves where they fall. This third option offers pollinators a safe place to overwinter and can help protect your lawn from extreme cold. You can also use a mower to chop up leaves. These leaf bits are more easily decomposed and will let more sunlight through to your lawn. Keep in mind, leaf bits won’t protect pollinators nearly as well as whole leaves.

Leaf composting couldn’t be simpler, but the benefits are great. You’ll save streams from eutrophication, give pollinators habitat, build healthy soil in your own garden, and avoid burning unnecessary fossil fuels. Asheville GreenWorks provides easy-to-assemble compost bins to house your leaves this fall. Reach out to us on Facebook, Instagram, or through our website to learn more about composting in your backyard! ​

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This article is written for the residents of the City of Asheville in partnership with the City of Asheville.