If your yard is covered in fallen leaves, there's good news! Not doing anything is actually doing something to help pollinators.

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Leave the Leaves

This time of year the leaves are falling off the trees and for many, our yards are covered in dead leaves.  While many people like to keep their yards looking nice and like to rake and bag up the leaves, did you know that leaving them alone can actually help out the environment?  I mean how often can we do nothing, and it actually be doing something?

Dead Leaves Help Pollinators Out

According to the USDA one of the best things you can do for your garden is leaving fallen leaves alone as they create a natural mulch.  The USDA also says that leaving the leaves on the ground will also help reduce greenhouse gasses and support local pollinators and other small wildlife.

Leaves create a natural mulch that helps to suppress weeds while fertilizing the soil as it breaks down. The leaves also serve as a habitat for wildlife including lizards, birds, turtles, frogs, and insects that overwinter in the fallen leaves. These living creatures help keep pests down and increase pollination in your garden, so having a habitat for them in the fallen leaves can help to keep them around when you need them the most.

If you just cannot stand the look of the fallen leaves the USDA does recommend mulching them or chopping them up with your mower when they fall if you want.  They also say moving the leaves around is fine too.

So if anyone has anything to say about my yard and landscaping being covered in leaves, I'm just going to say "I'm actually helping pollinators out thank you very much!"  Feel free to use that line to get out of doing more yard work if you want.