What To Do With Leaves And Pumpkins This Fall?

Written by Lorna McPalmer

Fall is upon us, and with that comes a downpour of leaves and maybe a few pumpkins to remove. Before you rake them up and throw them away, consider these options first!

Leave the Leaves

Leaving leaves restores nutrients to the soil and provides shelter and food for birds, pollinators and other animals over the winter. Check out the Old Farmer’s Almanac for helpful tips for fall clean up.

Compost

For those areas where leaving the leaves is not encouraged, such as hard surfaces or lawn, the leaves you collect can be composted to create nutritious soil for gardens in our community. Get started at home with your own compost (learn more here and here) or consider dropping your leaves and pumpkins off at a local compost collection site.

• Down to Earth Compost is a local compost collection service that hosts several leaf, pumpkin and food-scrap drop offs at several locations. Learn more and subscribe here. They ask for a $3-$6 per-bag donation to cover their costs.
• Pumpkin and food-scrap drop off at the Idlewild Farmer’s Market
  Instead of sending your Jack-o’-lantern to the landfill, bring it to our pumpkin drop-off where it can be turned into nutrient-rich compost. Composting your pumpkin helps return valuable nutrients to the soil and keeps organic material out of the landfill.
  • Riverside Farmers Market, Idlewild Park, Sunday, November 1, November 8, and November 15, 9am-1pm
    • Before you drop it off:
      • Remove candles, lights, and decorations
      • Take off paint, glitter, and other non-compostable materials

Dispose Responsibly
In 2018, the EPA estimated that 12% of total waste in the U.S. was from yard trimmings. If you need to throw leaves away, minimize microplastics by using the following alternatives to plastic bags:
1. Paper Bag
2. Reusable Pop-Up Yard Bag