Fall Leaf Cleanup in Canada: Mulch, Rake, Bag or Compost

Every fall, Canadian yards collect a thick layer of maple, oak, birch and poplar leaves. The instinct is to rake every leaf into bags, but that's often more work than you need to do and not always best for the lawn. The options are mulching leaves into the grass, raking and bagging them for city collection, composting them, or leaving some in the garden. The right mix depends on how many trees you have and what your municipality accepts. This guide covers each option, along with leaf blower noise rules and the eavestrough and storm drain jobs that should be done before freeze-up.

Mulch, rake or leave them?

Mulching leaves into the lawn

For a light to moderate leaf fall, your mower is the quickest tool. Turfgrass researchers at Purdue University recommend regular mowing through the fall to chop leaves into small pieces that settle down into the turf. They report no harmful effects on soil or turf from mulched leaves, and some benefit to soil. A few points make it work:

• Mow when the leaves are dry. Wet leaves clump and clog the deck.
• Mow often, before the layer gets deep. Purdue notes that thick or wet leaf layers may need raking first.
• Check the result. You should see grass blades through the chopped leaves. If the lawn is still buried, make another pass or rake off the excess.

Any rotary mower will shred leaves, and a mulching model or mulching blade does it more finely. Browse lawn mowers if you're replacing an old one.

When to rake

Heavy, matted leaf cover left on the lawn all winter is a problem. Purdue notes that heavy leaf layers can smother grass and encourage snow mould. Rake when leaves are too deep to mulch, on newly seeded areas, and under large trees where leaves pile up. Our guide to fall overseeding and winterizing your lawn explains why young grass needs light going into winter. A wide leaf rake moves volume quickly, and a garden cart or wheelbarrow saves trips to the compost pile.

Leaving some leaves in the garden

The City of Toronto encourages residents to leave some fallen leaves and branches in the yard in fall, because they give native pollinating insects a place to spend the winter and add nutrients to the soil. Toronto also suggests waiting in spring until temperatures stay above 10 °C, day and night, for at least a week before cleaning up. Garden beds, the base of shrubs and a back corner of the yard are good places for a loose layer of leaves.

Municipal leaf and yard waste collection

Rules differ between cities, and the most common mistake is using the wrong bag. Here's what two large cities say:

Toronto

• Yard waste goes in kraft paper yard waste bags or in rigid, open-top containers between 55 and 95 cm high.
• Yard waste in plastic bags or cardboard boxes won't be collected.
• Each bag or bundle must weigh no more than 20 kg.
• Collection is every other week on garbage day, from about mid-March to mid-December.
• According to the city's leaf collection page, you must not rake or blow leaves onto roads, sidewalks, ditches or culverts. Raking leaves onto sidewalks and the road is an offence under the Streets and Sidewalks bylaw and could lead to a $200 fine.

Calgary

• Leaves go into the green cart, loose or in paper bags, as long as the lid closes. The cart has a 60 kg weight limit.
• When the cart is full, put extra yard waste in paper yard waste bags with the tops rolled closed.
• Set extra bags about 0.5 m (2 feet) away from the cart. See Calgary's green cart guide.

Other municipalities set their own bag types, weight limits and end-of-season dates. Check your city's waste website or app before you fill bags. We stock paper yard waste bags and composters in our composters and yard waste bags collection.

Composting leaves at home

Leaves are one of the most useful "brown" materials for a compost bin, and a fall's worth can feed the pile well into next summer.

• Shred them first. Running over leaves with the mower before adding them makes them break down much faster than whole leaves, which tend to mat.
• Mix browns and greens. Layer leaves with green material such as vegetable scraps or fresh grass clippings, which supply the nitrogen that keeps the pile active.
• Keep it damp, not soggy. Dry leaves barely decompose. Add water as you build the pile if the leaves are crisp.
• Stockpile the extra. Store bagged or piled leaves beside the bin and add them over the year as you add kitchen scraps.
• Make leaf mould. A separate pile of just leaves, kept moist, breaks down slowly into a crumbly soil conditioner for garden beds.

Composting slows down a lot once the pile freezes, so expect most of the work to happen in spring.

Leaf blowers and noise bylaws

Blowers are handy for hard surfaces, flower beds and tight corners, but they're also one of the most common neighbourhood noise complaints, and many cities limit the hours they can be used. Toronto's noise bylaw doesn't allow noise from power devices, including leaf blowers and lawn mowers:

• Monday to Friday: 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. the next day.
• Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays: 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day.

Other municipalities set different hours, and some have gone further on gas-powered equipment, so check your local bylaw. To be a good neighbour:

• Use the lowest speed that gets the job done, and blow leaves onto your own lawn or beds, never into the street.
• Consider a battery-powered model. They are generally quieter than gas blowers and have no fuel to store over winter.
• Wear hearing and eye protection.

See our leaf blowers and yard vacuums. Some yard vacuums also shred leaves into a bag for composting.

Eavestroughs, downspouts and storm drains

Leaves that end up in eavestroughs cause overflows in fall rain and ice buildup in winter. Clean them out after most of the leaves have dropped, and before freeze-up. Make sure downspouts are clear and discharge away from foundations and walkways, as the City of Toronto's stormwater guidance advises.

If you use a ladder, follow the basic rules from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety:

• Set an extension ladder with its feet about one-quarter of its working length away from the wall.
• Don't climb higher than the fourth rung from the top.
• Keep ladders at least 3 m (10 feet) from power lines.
• Move the ladder instead of overreaching.

If the roofline is high or steep, hire a professional.

At street level, keeping your leaves off the road keeps them out of the catch basins that drain it. A blocked storm drain can flood the street and nearby driveways during fall rain and spring melt. If a catch basin on your street is buried in leaves, clear the grate only when it's safe to do so, away from traffic. Report blockages you can't clear to your municipality, through 311 where it's available.

Fall leaf checklist

• Mulch light leaf cover into the lawn with the mower when leaves are dry, and repeat often.
• Rake thick layers, new seedings and areas under large trees.
• Leave a loose layer of leaves in garden beds for overwintering insects.
• Bag the rest in paper yard waste bags, following your city's rules and weight limits.
• Stockpile shredded leaves for the compost bin.
• Use blowers only during permitted hours, and never blow leaves into the street.
• Clean eavestroughs and downspouts before freeze-up, and keep catch basins clear.

For what to do next, month by month, see our Canadian lawn care calendar by region.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to mulch leaves or rake them?

For light to moderate leaf fall, mulching dry leaves into the lawn with a mower is faster and returns nutrients to the soil. Rake when the layer is too thick to chop finely, because heavy matted leaves can smother grass and encourage snow mould.

Can I put leaves out in plastic bags?

In many Canadian cities, no. Toronto won't collect yard waste in plastic bags or cardboard boxes, and Calgary asks for extra yard waste in paper yard waste bags, so check your municipality's rules.

How heavy can a yard waste bag be?

Toronto's limit is 20 kg per bag or bundle, and Calgary's green cart limit is 60 kg. Other municipalities set their own limits.

What hours can I use a leaf blower in Toronto?

Toronto's noise bylaw allows power devices such as leaf blowers from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and statutory holidays. Other cities have different hours.

Can I rake my leaves onto the street for pickup?

Not in Toronto, where raking leaves onto sidewalks or the road is an offence that could lead to a $200 fine. Leaves in the street can also block catch basins, so bag, mulch or compost them instead.