Autumn means leaves: crunchy, orange, and, admittedly, fairly annoying. But don’t reach for those rakes and plastic bags just yet; there’s a strong argument about leaving the leaves that you might want to hear if you care about your garden.
South Africa (12 May 2025) — The colder seasons of the year are doing their thing, and several parts of the country have the leaves (and even snowfall) to prove it.
While most of our country won’t need to worry about clearing snowfall from our driveways, we will feel inclined to deal with the plethora of crunchy Autumn leaves in our wake. For some, it’s an eyesore. For others, it means that the kids will spend all afternoon ‘crunching’ and more mess. However, don’t reach for your rake and plastic bag combo just yet.
There’s a strong argument for leaving the leaves that you might want to hear if you care about your garden.
Community clean-up organisation Better Bedfordview is encouraging everyone to ‘leaf it be’, and for good reason.
As per the team, leaves are a free fertiliser that can be collected (not for the trashcan) but for your flower beds or compost heaps.
It’s a sentiment that’s echoed by many gardening authorities, including Martha Stewart.
The Pros
- Decomposing leaves become mulch, a soil enricher, and a source of nutrients!
- In rain and wind-rich areas, leaves can help prevent soil erosion
- Leaving the leaves can also give the biodiversity in your little eco-system a boost
- You’ll also give pollinators a place to ‘overwinter’ and provide shelter to some small wildlife critters
How to Make the Most of Leaf Season
- Gather leaves to be spread around trees, plants and in your flower beds (don’t pack them up tightly; make sure to leave some space around the plants)
- Or, layer them into compost heaps that you’ll use in the future
- You can also rally your community for a shared compost heap that everyone can access
by 