Leaving Your Leaves

The fall season is upon us. Cooler weather and vegetation changes leave us with lawns that are covered in beautiful fallen leaves. Not looking forward to raking your leaves this fall? Here are some reasons to leave your leaves this season.

Propertius duskywing

Provide habitat for native animals:

Native insects, including pollinators, and other wildlife need the leaves to hibernate during the winter. Insect larvae, worms and microorganisms overwinter as pupae in the leaf litter. In late summer, Propertius duskywing caterpillars silk themselves to Garry oak leaves, they fall with the leaf and overwinter attached to the leaf. In the spring they wake up as pupae and produce butterflies (see the photo on the left). Leaves help protect certain animals from cold temperatures during the winter, and they provide hiding and hunting spots for toads and salamanders.

Photo by Anne Franklin

Natural lawn fertilizer:

Leaves on the ground provide a natural mulch that helps improve the soil by adding nutrients and suppressing weeds. Removing the leaves can disrupt the natural cycle of nutrients that is beneficial for plant growth. It is important to only leave a light layer of leaves, otherwise the leaves will smother the grass. This way you don’t need to spend money on mulch and fertilizer, you can make your own.

Photo by Anne Franklin

Protection from colder temperatures:

If you have to rake your leaves, its a good idea to use some of them in your garden. A thick layer of leaves provides additional insulation against bitter cold weather, and can protect newly planted perennials when frost-heave may expose tender roots. This will fertilize the soil and protect the roots from temperature fluctuations.