How Long Does It Take for Leaves to Decompose?
What do to when your yard becomes a leaf graveyard
Highlights
On average, it takes leaves between one to three years to fully decompose.
Composting leaves can help improve soil.
The main things you can do with decomposing leaves are compost them, use them as mulch, or hire a service to remove them.
When autumn is over, and the once bright and beautiful leaves have all fallen to the ground, you may be feeling impatient about their lingering presence in your yard. On average, it takes leaves about one to three years to fully decompose. If leaves are already broken into smaller pieces, it takes less time, whereas if they are fully intact, it will take closer to the three-year mark.
3 Things You Can Do with Decomposing Leaves
If you’re wondering what to do with leaves in your yard, here are three options to make the most of them—or get them out of your sight.
Compost
The first thing you can do with decomposing leaves is pretty simple: compost them. Compost is a natural fertilizer made from organic materials that can help support soil. Decomposing leaves are a great organic ingredient if you want to make compost for your garden. Learning how to make compost is easier than you might think, too.
Make Mulch
Mulch and compost are often used synonymously, but they are different. While compost is put beneath the soil to fertilize the ground, mulch is the topsoil layer you’d find in a garden. Mulch can be both organic and inorganic, but if you have decomposing leaves in your yard, you can go the organic route by using them to make mulch.
Hire a Service to Remove Them
If you’re not a gardener or simply not interested in DIY compost and mulching but still want to get rid of decomposing leaves, you can hire a leaf removal service.
Why Should You Compost Leaves?
Whether your curiosity about how long it takes leaves to decompose is because the leaves don’t fit your yard’s aesthetic, or you’re just keen to make the most of them, composting them is a good idea. Not only does it have a positive impact on soil structure and water retention, it can also supply nutrients to the soil and minimize weeds.
How Much Does it Cost to Manage Leaf Decomposition?
If you opt to use decomposing leaves as mulch for your soil, managing them is free. However, if you’re not up for this task and want to hire someone to rake leaves or otherwise remove the leaves from your yard, the cost of yard clean up depends on the scope of the service and size of your yard.
On average, the cost to hire someone to clean up your yard ranges from $190 to $1,000 but can cost as little as $40. You can also opt to hire an independent worker who specializes in leaf removal specifically and potentially get a better price for the service. Check out leaf removal services near you to find the best option for your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to take the decomposition process into your hands to speed it up, water and sunlight are key. Of course, you can’t control sunlight yourself, but you can rake leaves into piles in sunny spots in your yard. In terms of using water, you can also moisten the decomposing leaves with water, whether by pouring some from a watering can from time to time or using a hose to moisten them.
While leaves won’t fully decompose over winter, they will still continue to decompose, just more slowly than usual.