Leave the leaves in bags

WINFIELD — With the change in season comes the changing of the leaves. These brightly colored signs of autumn inevitably will lose their grip on the trees they adorn and land in yards for residents to take care of, but why rake the leaves?

  Buy Photo

According to Iowa State Extension Office, raking up those piles of leaves plays an important role in maintaining the health of the grass underneath.

“Turfgrass plants use light, water, and nutrients to manufacture food,” ISU Extension warns. “In fall, lawn areas beneath large trees are often completely covered with leaves. The leaf debris prevents the turfgrass plants from manufacturing and storing food prior to winter and can block light causing areas of the lawn to dieback leaving behind patchy areas of dead grass that are unsightly and more prone to weeds.”

That means, raking in the fall could save you from having to pull weeds in the spring. Don’t forget, those leaf piles also a blast for children to jump in!

After enjoying the colors, raking the leaves, and diving into the piles, what is someone to do with all these leaves?

Winfield residents that would like their fall yard waste collected curbside must bag it. According to the City of Winfield, there are no limits to bags, but they must be placed along the curb for the city public works department to pick up during business hours. These bags are available for $1 at City Hall.

Winfield residents are also welcome to take their yard waste to the city’s burn site on 130th Street.

Gardeners might find it beneficial to take care of their leaves by chopping them up with a mulching mower to return the organic matter to the soil and benefit the lawn. While this may be easier than raking and removing the leaves, ISU Extension states that the mulch must be chipped into small enough pieces that they will fall between the blades of grass.

“When finished, very little leaf debris should be visible,” ISU Extension Office’s educational material states. “Mowing is best done when the layer of leaves is thin and dry, so mow often throughout the fall. If the leaf layer is thick, mow over an area more than once.”

In previous years residents have placed their leaves in the streets, but as of last fall, this practice is no more. So, whatever you chose to do with your fall yard waste, the City of Winfield reminds residents, do NOT put leaves in the street. Putting leaves into the street can cause safety hazards for cyclists and flooding in storm drains. Additionally, decaying leaves in storm drains can release pollutants that kill plants and other organisms and add to algae blooms.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com