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Readers say those who ‘Leave the Leaves’ should make like a tree and get out of here
“Get a rake and tend to your home. This is not rocket science."
If there’s one thing we can probably take away from our poll about whether or not to remove your leaves in the fall, it’s that if you choose not to, you should not be surprised to see an uprising in your cul-de-sac. Maybe not with torches and pitchforks, but definitely with rakes.
“So this is nonsense,” wrote Dwight E. from Walpole in response to the “Leave the Leaves” movement recommended by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. “Clean up your yard and have some pride in the appearance of your most valued asset,” he wrote.
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And he’s far from alone: Of the more than 350 people who responded to our survey, a full 72% identified as leaf removers, either meticulously (41%) or at least half-heartedly (31%).
Do you rake (or blow) your leaves in the fall?
Yes, meticulously
40%
I do, but half-heartedly
31%
No, never
14%
I used to, but after reading this article I'm stopping
5%
Other
10%
“Get a rake and tend to your home. This is not rocket science … Anti-rake screeds like this are not a good idea,” insisted Joe H. of Watertown. And Scott from Waltham pointed out, “If I leave the leaves, they blow onto my neighbors’ properties and now I am the bad guy.”
Still there are some, like Vaughn from Boston, who speak for the trees, or at least the leaves. “I believe in composting my leaves in place. It’s been shown to be healthier for the soil and wildlife and I’m not sure why more people don’t do it,” he wrote. “A grass lawn is ecologically useless as it doesn’t feed our pollinators. Tending to a grass lawn — watering during drought, using gas powered equipment to keep it in check — is environmentally not great.”
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But perhaps it was Edward T. who had the most logical argument for not leaving the leaves where they fall: “Can’t see the dog poo in the yard if the leaves are covering them.”
See below for some of our readers’ arguments for and against fighting the good fight against falling foliage.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
No excuse not to rake:
“I try to keep up every week … Inevitably, I need to continue usually into Thanksgiving weekend because I either fall behind, or the wind blows in the neighbor’s leaves — apparently they believe in the ‘Leave the Leaves’ philosophy. I think leaving the leaves on the yard is bad advice, it will most certainly smother and kill the grass, inviting leaf mold and a bigger mess come spring.” — MP, Andover
“I’m 61 years old and rake manually. It’s a great workout for the entire body. I enjoy spending time outside in the refreshing fall air. You can say hello to your neighbors. You are more in touch with the landscape. Plus it makes the nicer parts of my yard stand out … I still have time to do other fun things with friends.” — Mike D., Melrose
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“Leaves will block the sunlight from your lawn and kill it. You will get mold and insect issues. Leaves that gather underneath bushes invite rodents and will block the roots from getting necessary watering over the course of the winter.” — Dwight E., Walpole
“Leaves in my yard are three feet deep in some places. It would be impossible to get rid of all of them, but some just have to go.” — Anne, New Hampshire
“I like the look of a nice, green lawn, and this is one of the best times of year to enjoy it. Also the family playing on a lawn covered in leaves, especially wet leaves, can be dangerous because they are very slippery. I don’t particularly like moths, ticks, or other bugs that will use the leaf clutter over winter.” — Al, Concord
“I do what I can and I don’t worry if it’s not perfect … if I don’t get ’em all there is always spring. Raking and scooping takes a bit of time, but I recently discovered the joy of wireless headsets and bluetooth, and while I don’t think ‘do the raking’ will ever catch on as a dance craze, you might catch me cutting the rug/path with gusto.” — David T., Northbridge
Mulching and mowing are the way:
“Blow the leaves into the middle of the yard and mow into little pieces. I’d rather drive the lawnmower in circles for four hours than rake for one.” — Will, Tinkhamtown
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“Admittedly, I like a clean lawn. I also recognize how important leaf matter is for protecting plant roots and providing shelter for beneficial bugs, bees, and critters. My goal is to move fallen leaves to places where they are less likely to negatively impact the aesthetics of my property and can still contribute to the health of the landscaping. I acknowledge a great deal of irony in the fact that New Englanders are very proud of their fall foliage, yet the second a leaf drops, they treat it like a scourge to be eliminated immediately. That will never not be funny to me.” — Katie, formerly of Newton
“After reading this article, I’m going to be a little sloppier raking on purpose. My husband will love you for that, my meticulous nature drives him crazy!” — Christa W., Worcester
“Mulching is absolutely the way to go. Much easier and quicker than raking and provides chemical-free lawn fertilizer. Plus, you can spread the mulched leaves around your plants to protect them in the winter and feed them in the spring.” — Jason, New Hampshire
“I just mow them into the lawn every year and have the best looking lawn in my neighborhood.” — RR, Westford
“We remove leaves on our grassy areas but take pains to leave the leaves in strategic spots. We’ve also started breaking down some of the leaves to use as mulch in all of our garden beds — our soil is so much happier for it! The past couple of years we’ve seen a significant increase in butterflies, lightning bugs and other native insects. It’s been really great!” — Christine H.
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Boston.com occasionally interacts with readers by conducting informal polls and surveys. These results should be read as an unscientific gauge of readers’ opinion.
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