Gardeners are being urged to resist the temptation to tidy up their autumn leaves, as they could have a little-known benefit. It comes as the latest advice encourages green-fingered Brits to give their lawns one last trim to help them survive the harsh winter months.
At present, gardeners across the UK are bracing themselves for the winter season, with early warning signs already evident as temperatures begin to drop. The result are trees shedding their leaves in the heaploads to prepare for the colder months.
However, as gardeners gear up for the icy weather set to sweep across the UK later this week, some ecological experts are advising against clearing them away.
Autumn leaves tend to fall most abundantly from late October through to mid-November, hence it’s no surprise that pavements nationwide have been carpeted with them this month. But gardeners are being advised to leave these leaves undisturbed in their own gardens, as doing so could significantly benefit the local ecosystem without them even realising it.
Ecological writer, Alys Fowler, is adamant that this fallen foliage should be left as it is, explaining that it can actually serve as a habitat for insects as winter sets in. She further noted that these leaves store carbon, which can boost your lawn’s capacity to absorb minerals and moisture.
While leaves may give the impression of an untidy house, Alys maintained that winter winds will eventually disperse them, allowing worms to decompose them and integrate them into the soil. In a piece for Gardeners’ World magazine, Alys advised readers: “They’re called leaves for a reason; to be left alone to do their essential work.
“They may look spent but their business is far from done, both for the plant they left and the wider world around them. Soil can hold up to 30 percent more carbon if the autumn leaves are left to rot; carbon feeds the soil food web, particularly mycorrhizal fungi, which improves not only the trees’ ability to take up water and minerals, but also the lawn and wider garden.”
Moreover, Alys highlighted one nocturnal champion – the elephant hawk moth, known for its striking pink and olive green colours, which depends on decaying leaf litter to form its cocoons. This further underscored the importance of letting leaves decompose naturally, according to her.
However, not everyone agrees with Alys’ perspective. David Hedges-Gower, the chairman of the Lawn Association, issued a stark warning about the environmental hazards of leaving leaves on grass, asserting they can “suffocate and kill” it.
He cautions that the build-up of leafmould could devastate even the most robust lawns.
According to his expertise, ignoring fallen leaves in your garden could require substantially more maintenance when spring arrives, and may involve reseeding and boosting water supplies just to help the lawn survive winter safely.
He said: “Neglecting our lawns by leaving fallen leaves not only harms them but creates unnecessary work each year, increasing our unsustainable footprint. Unlike other garden areas, lawns require attention year-round.”
David firmly believes that “safeguarding” the lawn should be a “priority”, arguing it “enhances your garden’s beauty year round” and helps maintain it as a sustainable outdoor space. The Royal Horticultural Society, meanwhile, acknowledges the possible advantages of leafmould, particularly when it’s completely decomposed.
They advise it can be utilised as seed-sowing compost or incorporated into the garden compost heap. They recommend that leafmould less than two years old is best employed as mulch, to improve soil composition, as an autumn lawn top-dressing, or as a protective winter blanket for bare soil.
Nevertheless, they have urged caution, issuing a warning to gardeners about homemade leafmould compost which might attract weeds. Furthermore, leaves collected from the street may contain litter and should be checked before being added to a leafmould pile.
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