(Image courtesy Burst)

When the weather turns crisp and the leaves start to turn and fall, a lot of leaves end up in your yard and you need good things to do with fall leaves! And while raking might sound like good exercise, or leaf blowing could whisk many of them away, it’s actually quite a hassle to get rid of all of those leaves. 

When the leaves are falling in abundance, there are a lot of ways to use those fallen leaves in your garden and around your home. Here are our suggestions for things to do with fall leaves.

Top Things to Do with Fall Leaves this Year

Mulch Them

For the upcoming winter season, homeowners are going to want to be ready with a lot of mulch to protect their garden beds. By mulching all of the leaves that fall in your yard, you can protect your garden from the cold, wet weather — and have healthier plants in the springtime — by adding that mulched layer of leaves.

Fallen or mulched leaves could also be used to build soil as well as grow plants. If you place cardboard over the top of weeds, wet it down, and then add layers of organic material such as grass clippings, leaves, and mulch, you’ll likely have a thriving soil ecosystem come the spring. 

Mow Them Into Your Lawn 

Fall leaves are full of nutrients, and while plants can use that food to thrive, your lawn can as well. Skip the raking and use your mower to cut your leaves into tiny pieces small enough to settle into your lawn. In time, these pieces will decompose and provide an all-natural lawn fertilizer.

Compost Them

Pile leaves in a place where they will be undisturbed throughout the season. After they decompose, you can dig out the rich compost and use it in your garden in the spring much as you would mulched leaves.

Insulate With Them

Leaves can be used to insulate plants on the ground when the frosts come. Especially if you have a tender plant that needs a blanket for the winter months, add leaves around the plant and let them help keep your plants warm and protected through the winter. This is a particularly good technique in climates that are cold but not wet, so damp leaves will not lead to rot on your plants.

Decorate With Them 

Fall crafts are a great way to use leaves, which are an infinite resource for autumn decorating ideas for the home. From garland to centerpieces, autumn leaves give the perfect touch of the season to any place — and it’s great that they are so easy to come by for a variety of DIY projects.

Play With Them

Kids love to play in fallen leaves, but if the idea of jumping into piles of leaves makes you start to itch, consider making a scarecrow with them. This scares away the birds from your fall garden and is also a great and captivating project that kids can enjoy doing over the course of a few days. Gather some old clothes and stuff them with dry fallen leaves, then put your scarecrow on a pole in the garden to protect your plants. 

All of those fallen leaves could be a hassle, or they could be a boon for your garden, yard, and autumn decorations!  These are just a few good things to do with fall leaves to consider.

Check back to see how LIST WITH ELIZABETH® can help you to make the most of your home, yard, and neighborhood. And if you’re in the market for a change of fall foliage, let us show you our featured homes available in the Springfield and Burke areas that have a range of cozy and comfortable features that we know you’ll fall for.