EMBRACE FALLEN LEAVES

SUSTAINABLE GARDENING: Embrace Fallen Leaves and Build Healthy Soil

October is a month to slow down and work with nature’s natural cycles in your sustainable landscape. As trees shed their leaves, resist the urge to rake everything away. Instead, allow fallen leaves to remain in garden beds or shred and mulch them into the soil.

Leaves act as a natural mulch layer, helping conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and slowly break down to enrich the soil with organic matter. This process improves soil structure and supports beneficial microorganisms that keep your plants healthy.

Moreover, fallen leaves provide crucial shelter for overwintering pollinators, beneficial insects, and other wildlife. Many native bees and butterflies spend the winter in leaf litter or under shrub cover, so maintaining this natural habitat supports local biodiversity.
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If you choose to mulch leaves, spread a thin layer to avoid smothering plants and ensure airflow. Using leaf mulch this way contributes to a thriving, sustainable garden that nurtures both plants and pollinators.