Hi friend,

It’s that time of year again already.

The leaves are falling and the humans are packing them into trash bags to send to the landfill, then wondering why they don’t see as many bees or lightning bugs as they used to.

It’s not just some weird unimportant coincidence that all the different deciduous trees lose their leaves in autumn.

Leaf litter is crucial to healthy soil, wildlife survival & reproduction, and overall ecological health.

As the leaves decompose, they add the nutrients absorbed by the trees to produce their leaves back into the soil for the next year.​
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Decomposing leaves are also incredible food for the living microbes that are so crucial to healthy soil.

Countless species of wildlife also depend on leaf litter, especially during the cold months.

• 94% of moth species need leaf litter to complete their lifecycles
• Amphibians and reptiles burrow into leaf litter to retain moisture and stay warm
• Small mammals line their dens with leaf litter as insulation
• Birds forage for caterpillars who live in leaf litter to feed their babies in spring

So many people have told me they had no idea about the importance of leaf litter.
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It’s wild that we’re so disconnected from how nature works that these simple concepts are a surprise to most people.
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And leaf litter is just the tip of the iceberg 😅
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​The way we manage our yards & gardens in the fall directly impacts next year’s plant health and crop yield.​
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When I moved into my home at the end of 2018, there was barely any life in my yard.
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The past few falls, I've been very intentional with my leaf litter and “putting the garden to sleep” for the season.
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And now in the summer, my yard is FULL of lightning bugs! More than I’ve seen in one place since I was a kid.
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Lightning bugs spend their whole lives in a small area, meaning if you have them in your yard, they were most likely born there. And they live their larval stage in leaf litter.

If you can only do one thing for your yard this fall, leave the leaves.

If you have annoying neighbors, city ordinances, or an HOA here are some options:

• Pile the leaves in a less noticeable area of your yard (avoid leaf blowers - the heat will kill insects)
• ​Certify your yard as a Wildlife Habitat with the National Wildlife Federation
• Add signage to your yard explaining why you’re leaving the leaves

Want to learn more about jumpstarting your eco-garden?

Tory is an ecologist and landscape consultant. He helps North American gardeners transition from using outdated and harmful but status-quo techniques to using their yards to improve the health of our planet. Along with being a gardener for over 10 years, Tory has a Master of Science degree in Sustainable Design and is certified in Regenerative Soil Science.​

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