Leave the Leaves!
Did you know that leaving leaves behind to decompose naturally on your property is one of the best things you can do to foster habitat for native insects and the birds and other critters that eat them? With more and more development in Kane County, our native wildlife really counts on backyard habitat to get by during the winter.
Leaves can also be a resource to gardeners as free, carbon rich fertilizer for lawns and planting beds.
Leaving leaves does not have to be “all or nothing." The actions suggested below can be combined with each other and combined with traditional leaf pick-up programs (see list of 2024 programs below). Even just a portion of leaves left in-place can make a big difference!
- Know your leaves. Leaves from some species of trees and shrubs (box elder, for example) dry out and disintegrate very quickly. These leaves are ideal to rake or mulch into lawns to decompose naturally. On the other end of the spectrum, some species' leaves (oaks, for example) take a relatively long time to decompose. A thick blanket of oak leaves left on the lawn will likely smother the turf in the spring. Most species leaves are somewhere in between these two extremes. Homeowners can develop a smart leaf management strategy by taking some notes on species types, leaf quantities, and timing of when different trees lose their leaves.
- Blanket your beds. Any type of planting bed, including around the bases of trees, are great places to leave some leaves. A 3-5" blanket of whole leaves can help insulate perennial plant roots in the event of a particularly harsh winter. Leaves can be covered with wood mulch in the spring if desired.
- Mulch 'n' mow. Most lawnmowers will make short work of a thin layer of leaves, shredding them up into mulch. Just make sure to run the mower without the collection bag to ensure that the mulched leaves and last grass clippings of the year are returned to the soil as a slow-release fertilizer. Mowers might not cope as well with wet or very thick leaves, so timing is important.
- Create a winter leaf pile. This involves finding an out-of-the-way and wind-sheltered spot in the yard to create a temporary leaf pile. The size and height of such a pile should be planned so as not to be a nuisance to neighbors or to run afoul of local ordinances or HOA rules. Simply let the leaves sit for the winter and clean them up/send them for composting in the spring, by which time the critters that use leaves for overwinter habitat will have moved on.
- Compost at home. Whole or shredded leaves make great “brown" material for any home compost set up. Learn more here!
2024 Fall Leaf Programs
Photo: City of DeKalb, IL
Algonquin - Free collection of bagged brush and leaves thru Dec. 15
Aurora (City of) - Free collection of bagged leaves thru Dec. 6
Batavia (City of) - Suction leaf collection thru Nov. 25 (see link for map and schedule), free collection of bagged leaves Dec. 1 - Dec. 31
Batavia Township - Suction leaf collection thru Nov. 25
Carpentersville - Free bagged leaf (and all yard waste) collection continues thru Nov. 30
East Dundee - Suction leaf collection thru Nov. 26
Elburn - Free bagged leaf (and all yard waste) collection continues thru Nov. 29
Elgin (City of) - Suction leaf collection (see link for map and schedule) and free collection of bagged leaves thru Dec. 5
Geneva (City of) - Suction leaf collection thru Nov. 26 (see link for map and schedule), free collection of bagged leaves Dec. 1 - Dec. 23
Hampshire (Village of) - Free bagged leaf (and all yard waste) collection continues thru Dec. 15
Montgomery - Suction leaf collection thru Nov. 22. Free bagged leaf collection Nov. 11 - Nov 22.
North Aurora - Suction leaf collection thru Nov. 27 (calendar here). Free bagged leaf collection thru Nov. 30.
Pingree Grove - Free bagged leaf (and all yard waste) collection continues thru Nov. 30
Sleepy Hollow - Free bagged leaf (and all yard waste) collection continues thru Nov. 30
St. Charles (City of) - Suction leaf collection thru Dec. 5 (see link for map and schedule), free collection of bagged leaved Dec. 2 -Dec. 27 (certain subdivisions excluded - see link)
South Elgin - Free bagged leaf (and all yard waste) collection continues thru Dec. 15. Suction collection of unbagged leaves available for seniors and large properties only. See link for details.
Sugar Grove (Village of) - Free bagged leaf (and all yard waste) collection continues thru Nov.29
West Dundee - Suction leaf collection thru Nov. 27 (see map/schedule here). Free bagged leaf (and all yard waste) collection continues thru Nov. 30.
Fall Leaf FAQs
My neighbor raked their leaves into the street. Is that okay?
Leaves in the street is never a great thing. They can cause a slip hazard to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. Additionally, when it rains, the leaves will be washed to the nearest storm drain, where they can clog the grates and contribute to local flooding. Kindly let your neighbor know, and perhaps even offer to help move the leaves back onto the parkway for collection.
Can I burn my leaves?
For most Kane County residents, the answer is no. There are a handful of rural zip codes in Kane County where burning of dry landscape waste, including leaves, is allowed in unincorporated areas and under certain conditions. This is restricted to landscape waste and leaves generated on the property where burning occurs. It is never a good idea (and is in violation of the burning ordinance) to burn wet leaves due to the smoke produced. See the ordinance fact sheet for full details.
Can I put my leaves in plastic bags?
Not for disposal. The compost facilities where waste haulers take our leaves only accept loose material and brown paper bags. Haulers are further prohibited by law from knowingly putting plastic bagged leaves into landfills. If you use Halloween-themed bags with leaves as part of your fall decor, please empty or transfer the leaves into paper bags for disposal.
My property includes some forested area - can I just rake my leaves in there?
Sure - that's one way of leaving the leaves! Just keep in mind that leaves make better habitat as an even blanket across a larger area than as a huge, deep pile.
My property includes a stream or wetland - can I just rake my leaves in there?
No, please don't. Obviously, our streams, rivers, and wetlands naturally accumulate some leaves, but if people dump leaves there in mass quantities, it can overload them, contributing to nutrient pollution and short-term flood risks.
Landscape Waste Definitions and Regulations
The Illinois Environmental Protection Act prohibits the disposal of landscape waste in landfills. Instead, landscape waste is collected both by waste haulers and landscaping contractors and transferred to special facilities where it is ground into mulch or processed into compost. State law defines landscape waste as grass and woody trimmings, leaves, tree limbs, and other materials resulting from the care of lawns, shrubbery, vines and trees.
In practice, landscape waste is divided into two segments with somewhat different disposal options: yard waste and brush.
Yard waste includes grass clippings, weeds, leaves, pine needles, plant stems, flowers and smaller twigs and branches. Yard waste does not include whole potted plants, clods of dirt, houseplants, straw bales, or sod. It's also important to make sure that yard waste put out for composting is free from plastic pots, plant tags, plant stakes, wire plant cages, etc.
Brush is woody debris, including larger tree and shrub branches or limbs.
Yard Waste Disposal
Curbside Collection: Almost all municipal waste hauling agreements include a yard waste program. Generally speaking, these programs run from April to November, but residents should check with their hauler and/or municipality because some programs start in March and some extend into December (see links to the right). Most programs also include a special collection in January for live Christmas trees.
Packaging for Curbside Collection: All curbside programs allow residents to place yard waste in two-ply, wet strength paper bags sold at grocery and hardware stores. Items that can't practicably fit into bags, such as long sticks/branches or vines can be tied into bundles using biodegradable string or twine, not wire. Check with your hauler for exact bundle specifications, but generally they should be not more than 4 feet long or 50 lbs. in weight. Residents are often allowed to place yard waste for collection into their own clearly labeled tote or container, provided that it is 33 gallons or less in size, has handles, and weighs less than 50 lbs. when full. Some municipal programs have 65 or 95 gallon cart rental options for yard waste. Finally, some municipalities and townships conduct fall curbside leaf collection with a vacuum truck, so leaves can be raked to the curb loose. Check with your municipality for more details. Yard waste should never be placed in plastic bags, mixed with trash or recycling, or swept into roadways.
Drop offs: See list here.
Burning: Residents of municipalities should check their local ordinances. Burning of dried out landscape waste is allowable in unincorporated areas of certain rural zip codes only, and only under certain weather conditions. See Kane County's Burn Regulations for details. Landscape waste should not be burned wet or damp.
Costs & Cost Reduction: Some municipal programs include the cost of yard waste collection in the base rate for trash. Others require that each bag, bundle or 35 gallon container have its own trash or special yard waste sticker. Costs at drop-offs are at the discretion of the operators. Residents can save money on landscape waste disposal by mulching leaves and grass clippings into their lawns and by composting at home! If planting a new tree, consider something slow-growing and strong, like a native oak, which will produce a lot less litter than many fast-growing ornamentals, acorns not withstanding. Seedless varieties of notoriously messy trees like honey locust or Kentucky coffee tree may also be desirable. Pressed, dried leaves, twigs, acorns, and dried seed pods can make fun craft materials for kids and grown ups too (see "Fun with Brush" section below for some ideas).
Brush Disposal
Brush Collection: Municipalities and townships often provide pick-up programs for larger woody debris. These services may be available on a seasonal schedule, upon request, or following destructive weather events. See the bottom set of links at right for more information. If there is no link for your place of residence and your trees have sustained storm damage, call your township or municipality to see if there are short-term debris services available.
Professional Tree Services: When a tree on private property is damaged by a storm, disease or age, it is a good idea to have a professional come out and assess its condition, especially if it is close to any roads or structures. Check to see if local tree professionals can provide chipping or hauling service to dispose of limbs. If scheduling a whole tree removal or substantial pruning, it is not a good idea to get service without cleanup included unless you have a plan for disposal.
Burning: Residents of municipalities should check their local ordinances. Burning of brush (dried wood from shrubs and trees) is allowable in certain unincorporated zip codes under certain weather conditions. See Kane County's Burn Regulations for details, and please be mindful of your neighbors!
Fun with Brush: Sticks, twigs, and even larger branch cuttings can be materials for some really cool functional and decorative upcycled crafts. Here's a YouTube search for some inspiration, and blog posts for a colorful fall-themed mobile, a wall hanging, a rustic stool, a colorful vase display, Christmas/winter themed projects, and kids' crafts.
