5 Things to Do With Fallen Autumn Leaves

A Tree Pruning Service in Kansas City Can Keep Your Trees Looking Great in All Seasons

A Kansas City certified arborist knows the value of those crunchy, colorful fall leaves, even once they’ve hit the ground. Truthfully, there are many uses for them, and they aren’t just an autumnal nuisance to take care of during your “free time” on the weekend.

So, instead of spending your leisure hours raking and bagging leaves, put them to work for you around your yard, using suggestions of our five favorite things to do with fall leaves. Then kick back while the professionals provide tree care in Kansas City so you don’t have to.

Start a Compost Bin in Your Yard

If you’ve ever purchased compost in the spring, you know it can be pricey. And hauling it home in your vehicle is less than pleasant. Keep compost odors out of your vehicle by making your own in your backyard.

Fallen autumn leaves are highly compostable, particularly when mixed with other organic matter. Build a compost bin, and rake your leaves straight into your compost pile.

To start, find a place to locate your bin. Most people like to tuck theirs away, behind a shed or a garage, away from their home, but still only a short walk to get there to toss food scraps inside from the kitchen. Setting up your bin in a shady area will help keep it moist.

Then, layer on your organic waste, building a foundation of twigs from a previous tree pruning service visit or straw, and chopped or shredded organic waste, like leaves, garden debris, and produce discards and egg shells from your kitchen.

Once you have lots of layers of compost, cover it with straw, and let it sit. You can turn your pile twice a month to aerate it and encourage breakdown. Soon, you’ll have great fertilizer for your garden, and a place for leaves to prove their worth.

Turn Leaves Into Lawn Fertilizer

When autumn leaves decompose, they turn into necessary nutrients that plants, including grass, crave. When you have a lawn full of leaves, start up your mower and turn that pile into confetti!

Leave it spread throughout your lawn. During the winter season, the leaves will decompose and turn into an all-natural lawn food, resulting in happy, full grass come spring.

Think of all the time you’ll save over raking leaves into lawn bags and hauling them out to the curb for waste pickup. And it’s a green choice that shows you care about the environment.

After Tree Pruning, Turn Fallen Leaves into Mulch

Vibrant autumn leaves fluttering to the ground is a sign that winter is coming. Put those leaves to good use in advance of frigid temperatures by using them as mulch in your garden beds.

You don’t even have to chop up the leaves; just add a layer of them around your perennial planting areas to protect them from the cold and snow.

While leaf mulch isn’t always beautiful, it’s effective, plentiful, and free, which makes it an ideal material for most Kansas City residents.

Stuff a Scarecrow for Lawn Decor

Get into the pumpkin spice season spirit! Fall decorations can be cute, rustic, or spooky, and a custom scarecrow for your front porch sets the mood for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Your fallen autumn leaves can be used to give shape to your scarecrow’s body. Fill an old button-down shirt and pair of pants with leaves, and tie closed any openings in the arms and pant legs to hold the stuffing in place.

And with your leftover leaves in a pile already, why not spend an hour or so playing with the kids? (Dogs love big leaf piles, too!)

Build a Potato Bin with Old Leaves

Before winter comes, master gardeners prepare their garden beds for the following year. Autumn leaves can come in handy to build soil. In particular, they’re great for potato grow box soil.

Follow instructions to build a vertical potato-growing structure using lumber or chicken wire, and use the crunchy leaves in your yard as part of the soil mix. Fine gardeners recommend a blend of 40 percent compost, 40 percent chopped leaves, and 20 percent existing soil for the best results.

Take Care of Your Leafy Trees with Our Tree Pruning Service Near You

When you need tree pruning - selective removal of tree branches and twigs - call Arb Tech in Overland Park at 913-954-7004.

As certified arborists, we’re masters of Kansas City tree care and can help you keep the ones in your yard healthy, safe, and looking their best. Stay off the ladder, and let us do what we do best: canopy maintenance, tree pruning service, tree removal, storm debris cleanup, tree cabling and bracing, and much more.

While we take care of your trees in Olathe, Overland Park, Prairie Village, Parkville, or Gladstone, you can check off other tasks on your to-do list, like prepping your garden for winter or decorating your yard for the holidays.

Contact us to schedule an appointment for Kansas City tree care today.