Fall Leaves

We don’t think of them much until there are a lot them: leaves. They serve as a retreat from the hot sun. The canopy of shade leaves furnish for us is welcome, and the more leaves, the more shade. This time of year, though, most homeowners are not thankful for leaves. We see them change color, blow by in the wind, and land right where we don’t want them: in our yard.

In our area, autumn greets us with a splendor of color. Interestingly, these shades are always present in the leaf, but are covered up by the green pigment, chlorophyll. The yellow pigment is called xanthophyll, and orange is carotene. Anthocyanin is red color, but depending on the kind of tree, the red seen is a result of sugar levels inside the leaves. As the daylight shortens, chlorophyll production decreases and the green fades, allowing the other colors to be more dominant. (If you want to see what colors your tree will be dressed in this fall, click on 'Fall Colors' in the 'EASY LINKS' section on the right side of your screen.) Once the photosynthesis process is over for the season, the tree sections off the leaf to conserve water and oxygen for the winter. The leaf falls off and now it’s your problem. While useless to the tree at this point, leaves can be very important in the home landscape, so don’t just discard them.

Mow over your leaves to break them down. You can let them lie there. They will decompose slowly and add nutrients to your grass. They will not smother your lawn, but will give a natural boost for next year’s growth. You can add them over your garden beds as is or till them in.

Use intact fallen leaves as mulch. Add a thick layer around the beds of shrubs, trees and perennials.  Twelve plus inches of fall leaves will act as a layer of insulation for the winter and will break down, amending your soil for next year.

Compost them. You can start a compost pile now or gather the leaves and wait until the spring. To start now, shred the leaves. The smaller the pieces the faster they will break down. Add small amounts of grass clippings or healthy plant debris from your garden.  If the leaves are not wet, then add water to the point that the pile is damp throughout. If you prefer, you can contain the fall leaves for the winter and use them in the spring. Inexpensive wire fencing formed in a ring should hold the leaves until you want to use them next year.

Leaves serve their purpose for tress, providing food. They add some visual appeal in autumn. Leaves at this time of year are also a lot of work, but you can make them work for you, too.



The Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County have information on fall leaves. For a free copy, contact us at 570 – 963 - 6842 or LackawannaMG@psu.edu and ask for a copy of “Backyard Leaf Composting”.


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Extension
Lackawanna County