Why is it better not to collect dead leaves?

Who says autumn says masses of leaves fallen from the trees onto the ground and lawns. However, picking them up is not necessarily a good idea.

Dead leaves are collected by the shovel, said Prévert. But we can also simply leave them there, for the greater good of nature. If it is the responsibility of municipalities to clear away dead leaves from the sidewalks in order to prevent passers-by from falling, the same is not true for the lawn in your garden.

A natural leaf compost

Indeed, dead leaves have the advantage of constituting excellent natural humus when decomposed. Rich in organic materials useful to the soil, they will help to restore its fertility by transforming over time into a real compost of leaves. Enough to enrich it with mineral elements of all kinds: nitrogen, potash, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, silica…

You can also take advantage of this, before the arrival of winter, to give your lawn a slightly special mowing: if it is not covered but just strewn with leaves, run the mower without its collection tray, and let this thin layer of mixed crushed herbs and leaves enrich your lawn as the winter cold approaches.

Autumn in the garden: make compost from dead leaves

A refuge for small animals

Furthermore, these leaves on the ground promote biodiversity. Indeed, when they fall, they can also transform into a refuge for an infinite number of creatures, such as insects or toads. And even small mammals such as the hedgehog, an increasingly endangered species in search of nooks and crannies in which to shelter.

In these leaves, all these little creatures will be able to lay eggs, feed themselves and protect themselves from the cold. Enough to make your garden more than a habitat: a refuge for these creatures perhaps about to hibernate in the ground.

Read also – How to create a shelter for hedgehogs in your garden?

Clean in front of your home

Moreover, in Canada, a movement has been launched in this direction. His name: LeaveTheLeavesleave the leaves. There, the National Wildlife Federation has even declared the month of October as National LeaveTheLeaves Month to invite everyone to leave dead leaves on the ground in their garden. In any case when there is no obligation to remove them.
What does the law say about this, anyway? Just as you are supposed to clear the snow from the sidewalk in front of your house in order to avoid falls, you are in principle only obliged to collect the leaves from your trees which overhang and which fall on the public road alongside your garden. More a question of common sense and good manners than respect for the laws, to tell the truth. But if you don’t do it, you risk being found responsible for the fall of a passerby in the street in front of your home.

Read also
Burning dead leaves in your garden: watch out for the fine!