Leave the Leaves

We’re proud to support the National Wildlife Federation® Leave the Leaves Month to raise awareness about the benefits of letting the leaves lie. Click here for tips and information from our partner NWF on how to leave the leaves.

Across much of North America, it’s a fall tradition: raking and bagging leaves. Even if you live in a region that doesn’t have this annual chore, you may make it a habit of tidying up other organic matter like pine needles. There’s a new way of thinking when it comes to this fall activity; don’t do it! It’s good for the birds and other wildlife (not to mention your back). Here are a few good reasons to Leave the Leaves:

1. Fallen leaves serve as an overwinter habitat for lizards, birds, turtles, frogs and insects. In turn, these living creatures help keep pests down and increase pollination in your garden.
2. Leaves create a natural mulch that helps to suppress weeds while fertilizing the soil as it breaks down.
3. Most butterflies and moths overwinter in the landscape as an egg, caterpillar, pupa or adult. In all but the warmest climates, these butterflies use leaf litter for winter cover.
4. Bumble bees also rely on leaf litter for protection. At the end of summer, mated queen bumble bees find holes or burrow an inch or two into the earth to hibernate for winter. An extra thick layer of leaves is welcome protection from the elements.

While the idea is to “leave the leaves” permanently, if you do decide you need to clean up the garden and remove the leaves in spring, make sure you wait until late in the season so as not to destroy all the life you’ve worked to protect. Your local wildlife will thank you.

Want to earn an “Expert Bird Gardener” badge? Our friends at Birds Canada have a FREE video series, Gardening for Birds, you can watch and then take a fun quiz to earn your badge! You can learn how to attract birds year-round, start planning your bird-friendly garden for next year and learn how to protect birds at home.