Remember to Rake them Right
- Rake leaves curbside to the grassy area between the street and the sidewalk or to the curb. Never put leaf piles in the street. Leaves left in the street can be washed down storm drains where they can cause algae and impact local water quality.
- Collections occur in your zone beginning on the Monday of each pickup week between 7 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Have leaves at the curb by 7 a.m. the Monday of your pickup week. Collections will take the entire week to complete in each zone.
- Residents can still bag leaves in biodegradable bags for weekly curbside yard waste pickup on weeks when the City crews are not doing leaf collection in their neighborhood/zone.
Residents can now utilize the City’s GPS-based LeafGo system to track leaf collection progress. It works the same as the SnowGo system.
Two-Zone Collection System
Collections are based on a two-zone system. See the map to find out what zone you live in. Collections occur in your zone beginning on the Monday of each pick up week between 7 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Please have your leaves at the curb by 7 a.m. the Monday of each pick up week. Collections will take the entire week to complete in each zone.
Residents can still bag leaves in biodegradable bags for weekly curbside yard waste pick-up on weeks when the City crews are not doing leaf collection in their neighborhood / zone.
2018 Curbside Leaf Collection Area Map
Leaf piles will not kill grass
Although they may cause it to temporarily discolor, the grass will grow back, rich and green, in the spring. To prevent grass from discoloring, rake your leaves immediately before your scheduled pickup date.
After the leaf collection period ends, leaves are to be placed in biodegradable paper yard waste bags or in a trash can designated for yard waste only. The bags or cans should weigh no more than 50 pounds each when filled and will be collected as part of the normal curbside-composting program every Monday.
Residents are reminded that leaf piles that are mixed with grass trimmings, branches, brush or other non-leaf content will not be collected through this service. Residents with branches, brush, etc. may have them collected through the curbside chipper program by calling Streets & Utilities and scheduling a collection.
Chipper Service
To schedule a chipper collection, call Streets & Utilities’ Information Line at 614.410.4780 (24 hours a day) or the Streets & Utilities office at 614.410.4750 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). You can also schedule a curbside chipper collection online using the Service Request Center.
Don’t want the hassle of raking? Try mulching.
Deep tree roots do a great job retrieving trace elements from the soil. You can recycle these nutrients by simply mulching your leaves with your mower. Microbes and worms help break down leaf material, adding important organic matter and nutrients to your turf. Returning lawn clippings and leaf material to your lawn can reduce the need to fertilize at no cost to you. Try mowing leaf material often to ensure that a half-inch of grass is still visible. The mowed leaf matter should be dime-sized. Mulched leaves will decompose and disappear by spring, and your lawn will green up nicely.
