Leaving the leaves - Ask Extension
We are seeking best practices for leaving the leaves in a townhome community this fall. Our questions are:
1- We've read that only leave the leave...
Knowledgebase
Leaving the leaves #916535
Asked September 05, 2025, 9:41 AM EDT
We are seeking best practices for leaving the leaves in a townhome community this fall. Our questions are:
1- We've read that only leave the leaves on a certain amount of lawn area. 70% of the lawn area? Do you have a recommendation?
2- How deep should our layer of leaves be on common areas of lawn? 1-2 inches?
3- If some homes in our community choose to leave the leaves in their own garden beds, how can we keep those leaves from blowing into other folks' yards?
Any other info we need to know about managing a "leave the leaves" project in an entire community?
Thank you.
Howard County Maryland
Expert Response
Leaving leaf litter has several benefits, which includes returning nutrients to the soil as they decompose, insulating the soil (like any other mulch), storing carbon in the soil's organic matter content, and sheltering (and feeding) wildlife. Some of these benefits may need to be sacrificed in order to leave leaves on a lawn, though they can be used in garden beds without problems in most cases. (Some plants that are adapted to either meadow habitats or woodlands that produce little leaf litter may be smothered too much by having leaves put over top of them.)
The risk of having too much leaf litter on a lawn is that the grass will be smothered, having too little light and poorer air circulation around the grass blades, especially when leaf litter gets wet and mats-down. While turfgrass doesn't actively grow in late autumn and winter, it still should not be deprived of light and airflow, the latter of which could lead to fungal outbreaks that damage or kill the grass. Tree leaves left on a lawn should be shredded by a mower (a couple passes may be enough), so the smaller pieces fall down onto the soil surface between the grass blades, where they will compost and recycle their nutrients. This will, however, render those leaves of little use to wildlife as both food and shelter, though it's still better than bagging the leaves and having them hauled to a landfill, which takes that nutrient source out of the yard entirely.
There is no one rule of thumb when it comes to leaving intact leaves on a lawn, but as an estimated guideline, no more than 50% of a lawn should be covered by a light layer of leaves (again, anything blocking light for long periods should be avoided, which even a thin layer of leaves might do, depending on the leaf type and how quickly it decomposes). Instead, try to rake or blow the leaves from a lawn area onto garden beds, if they are available, where the leaves don't need to be shredded. Excess leaves can be shared with other neighbors (if they have fewer leaves and more garden space), added to a compost pile, or (as a last resort, above bagging them) shredded into smaller pieces before being used as mulch or compost pile additives.
Leaf piles don't always blow around much once collected, but it's hard to predict which may blow into neighboring years and which will stay put. Therefore, if one neighbor doesn't want leaves in their yard, it would be hard to guarantee that another neighbor's leaves won't move into their landscape if the property line isn't fenced.
Education for residents resistant to keeping fallen leaves may help, such as the "leave the leaves" information (here's a similar resource they provide) provided by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Miri
The risk of having too much leaf litter on a lawn is that the grass will be smothered, having too little light and poorer air circulation around the grass blades, especially when leaf litter gets wet and mats-down. While turfgrass doesn't actively grow in late autumn and winter, it still should not be deprived of light and airflow, the latter of which could lead to fungal outbreaks that damage or kill the grass. Tree leaves left on a lawn should be shredded by a mower (a couple passes may be enough), so the smaller pieces fall down onto the soil surface between the grass blades, where they will compost and recycle their nutrients. This will, however, render those leaves of little use to wildlife as both food and shelter, though it's still better than bagging the leaves and having them hauled to a landfill, which takes that nutrient source out of the yard entirely.
There is no one rule of thumb when it comes to leaving intact leaves on a lawn, but as an estimated guideline, no more than 50% of a lawn should be covered by a light layer of leaves (again, anything blocking light for long periods should be avoided, which even a thin layer of leaves might do, depending on the leaf type and how quickly it decomposes). Instead, try to rake or blow the leaves from a lawn area onto garden beds, if they are available, where the leaves don't need to be shredded. Excess leaves can be shared with other neighbors (if they have fewer leaves and more garden space), added to a compost pile, or (as a last resort, above bagging them) shredded into smaller pieces before being used as mulch or compost pile additives.
Leaf piles don't always blow around much once collected, but it's hard to predict which may blow into neighboring years and which will stay put. Therefore, if one neighbor doesn't want leaves in their yard, it would be hard to guarantee that another neighbor's leaves won't move into their landscape if the property line isn't fenced.
Education for residents resistant to keeping fallen leaves may help, such as the "leave the leaves" information (here's a similar resource they provide) provided by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Miri
