Come autumn time, the Pacific Northwest turns into a picturesque scene with all the falling red and yellow leaves contrasting our vibrant fir trees.
Despite the beauty of it all, raking leaves becomes a job for every homeowner and property manager.
Unattended leaves will run the risk of killing your lawn and becoming unsightly with sopping wet leaves.
Don’t delay! Discover how to get rid of leaves in the winter.
Portland City Leaf Disposal Days
The first way to dispose of leaves in the winter is to have the city cart them away.
Portland, and other cities in the area, will collect your lawn debris during this particularly messy time of year. Make sure you pay attention to the municipal schedule.
For those in Portland, the Portland Bureau of Transportation maintains a website that details its Leaf Day Pickup Schedules.
If you have other means of disposing of leaves, you can always opt out of Portland’s leaf removal program.
Use Leaves as Mulch for the Garden
When you rake and gather your leaves, you can distribute them as you see fit.
You don’t even have to get rid of the leaves when you know how to recycle them.
If you have dormant garden beds, you might break down the leaves with your lawnmower and then spread the mulch in the raised beds. If you are able, use a mulching mower that will break down your grass and leaves into easily reusable material. Use a hoe or shovel to integrate the pulverized leaves with your soil to facilitate a faster compost time.
You might also spread leaves around the base of your ornamental plants. The extra ground cover will help slow weed growth, and it will break down into rich humus as the season progresses.
Add Leaves to Your Home Compost
A home compost bin is a great way to recycle your leaf debris into usable soil.
You can purchase a barrel-sized compost bin that can also take care of many of your food scraps, as well as other yard waste. Make sure to turn the compost bin periodically to help facilitate the compost process.
If you have a worm compost bin, you can add some leaves there as well. Worm compost is a great way to teach children about how nature breaks down waste into usable soil.
This form of composting, also called vermicomposting, can also take many of your table scraps. If you like to fish for salmon in the spring, you’ll be all ready with fat, healthy bait.
Spruce Up Your Lawn with Crowley Landscape Management
Skip the stress and workaround to removing your leaves and let our professionals help!
At Crowley Landscape Management, we go above and beyond to provide residents and local businesses with the care and attention their landscapes deserve.
Contact us today to get a quote or schedule a leaf removal and cleanup.