You now have an excuse to avoid raking the fall leaves in your yard. The National Wildlife Federation is telling homeowners to let the fallen leaves stay on the ground. Raking leaves or simply blowing leaves robs the yard of essential nutrients and destroys wildlife habitat.
Animals like birds and toads rely on leaves for food and shelter. It’s even a place for caterpillars to grow, before turning into beautiful butterflies.
If the critters don’t sway you, maybe your wallet will. Fallen leaves can form a natural mulch to control weeds. This way, you won’t have to spend as much money on both fertilizer and mulch.
Instead, chop the leaves with a mulching mower or shred them for a fine-textured mulch that can be used in garden beds. Or if you want to be extra nice to the animals, build a brush shelter with sticks and leaves for a natural wildlife habitat.