How to Handle Yard Waste This Fall

Having your own yard comes with many benefits, but it also comes with some major responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is getting rid of yard waste. Leaves, grass, and other yard waste doesn’t go away on its own, and figuring out how to handle it is just one of the many ways that you need to care for your yard.

Handling yard waste is a more prominent issue for yard owners in the fall season. The Oregon area has a pretty standard fall, with many yards experiencing falling branches and leaves. Portland leaf removal comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, and ultimately comes down to your preferences.

While some people prefer to use their yard waste to provide more nutrients to the lawn, others want nothing more than to be rid of it. Depending on your yard waste needs, you might be able to benefit from professionals like Mr. Tree and their ability to remove larger pieces of waste and dispose of them properly. You also have the option of dealing with it yourself.

Here are a few ideas for ways you can handle your yard waste this fall.

Hire a Professional

Leaves aren’t the only thing that fall from trees and into your yard during the fall. When your yard waste consists of more than just grass clippings and leaves, you should probably look into hiring a professional to remove the waste. Items like fallen tree branches can be a danger to your family and property when left untended.

Hiring a professional is the best, and often most cost-efficient, way to deal with larger yard waste items. Professionals like the arborists at Mr. Tree already have the resources, safety equipment, and machinery to deal with getting rid of larger types of waste. They can also assist you with any other tree issues you may be having, such as stump removal or removal of an entire tree. Enlisting their help can save you from having to invest in heavy machinery like wood chippers that you may not have much use for.

Have It Picked Up

One of the most popular ways to deal with yard waste in the fall is to have it picked up. Portland leaf removal may be an option for you depending on where you live. Luckily, many townships contract trash companies to provide this service to their residents. Some will have you rake the leaves and push them out onto the street during your township’s designated day and time. Others rent out designated yard waste bins that can be left on the curb like your regular trash bins.

Though many townships provide this service, not all do. If you don’t live somewhere where this is an easy and free option, you can still look into paying someone to pick up your leaves. Some companies require you to have the leaves raked and put into specific bags for them to be picked up so look into the requirements beforehand.

Leave Them Where They Are

Believe it or not, there are ways for you to handle your yard waste that require little to no effort on your part. If your fall yard waste consists of mostly grass clippings, you might be able to benefit from sitting back and letting nature take its course. When grass clippings are left on your lawn, they can act as a natural and organic fertilizer, which can have a lot of health benefits for your yard. This can limit the amount of additional fertilizer you need to encourage your lawn’s healthy growth.

People can be torn about whether to leave actual leaves in their yard throughout the winter. While some say that it can help to enrich the soil and grass, others say that it can cause more problems than solutions. It all depends on how you leave them.

Letting your fall leaves lay on the ground as-is over the winter can create a thick layer over the grass and prevent it from growing properly in the spring. They can also become home to pesky critters that you don’t want nesting in your yard.

However, shredding your leaves using a lawnmower and then letting them stay on the ground might be a better option. Breaking the leaves down this way gives the lawn more room to breathe during the winter and makes it easier for the leaves to naturally break down. Just be careful to check for any large waste options before you start your lawnmower, as you won’t be able to see any hazards as easily as you would when cutting the grass.

Gather for Firewood

Not everything that’s in your yard should be considered waste. If your yard waste consists of mostly small- or medium-sized tree branches, you can find ways to put them to good use. If you heat your home with firewood, what looks like waste in your yard could actually be pretty valuable material. Even if you don’t heat your home with firewood, you can gather it to create a nice backyard fire in the fall that’s perfect for roasting marshmallows with your family.

If you feel comfortable cutting the wood and have the right tools to do so, it can end up creating a fun gathering opportunity for your friends and family.

Composting

If you’re looking to add more nutrients to your garden and limit your overall waste, then composting could be a good option. With this option, you can turn organic waste into nutrient-rich soil without having to put much effort in. This is done by gathering your leaves and putting them into a compost bin.

With this option, you don’t need to shred or chop up your leaves unless you want to speed up the composting process. Place your whole leaves in the composting bin and then add other organic material like grass clippings, old fruit or vegetables, or soil. Mix the layers together to create a compost stew, and the rest will work itself out naturally.

Composting is also one of the easier ways to get rid of the waste from your yard on your own, and also one of the most rewarding, as the new soil created from your compost can be reused in your garden.