Leaves are an important resource that we pick up and throw away every year, which is costly, unsustainable and wastes this valuable resource. During the decomposition process, leaves return valuable nutrients and minerals back to the soil.

Residents are encouraged to reuse and recycle their leaves in several ways, including mulching in place, composting, and native landscaping. Check out videos on the Tips and Tricks for Mulching page about how to do this in your yard.

Homeowners can shred their leaves using a lawn mower with a mulching blade, a leaf shredder, or even a leaf vacuum combined with a leaf shredder. Residents may need to try several mower heights to get the optimal mulching effect on the leaves.

No. Many professional landscapers have been using this technique for years because it is better for the environment and less expensive. The City of Stamford has found studies that support mulching leaves, including this one from Purdue University:

The researchers say the takeaway from the study was "The results are very positive and suggest that mulching tree leaves is an economical method of disposal with little risk of decreased turf performance. Our results are similar to those from Michigan State University and Cornell University and we are now very confident in recommending professionals and homeowners to mulch tree leaves into the turf each fall."

Shredded leaves should be no more than 1" square.