Leaf Litter

Trees naturally drop their leaves either as part of a seasonal dormancy period or through a shedding process to make way for new growth. 

Deciduous trees lose their leaves in autumn in preparation for the colder winter months. This allows a tree to use less energy and conserve moisture within its trunk to keep from drying out. This also allows wind to blow through the branches, putting less strain on a tree during winter storms and gales.

Evergreen trees can lose leaves throughout the year to make way for new growth. Evergreen trees may lose more leaves than usual if they are under stress from heat, lack of moisture, lack of nutrients or when infected with pests or disease. 

However a tree loses its leaves, here are some suggestions for how you can either repurpose or dispose of the leaf litter:

Green Waste Collection:

Leaves, twigs and grass clippings, along with other organic waste, can be placed in your green bin to be collected and disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

Click here to find out more about the food organics and garden organics waste (green bin).

Backyard Composting:

Consider composting your leaf litter at home. Composting is an excellent way to turn organic waste into nutrient-rich compost that can be used to fertilize gardens and nourish plants. It's easy to set up a composting system in your backyard and we offer a range of discounted composting systems.

Click here for more information on composting and worm farms.

Mulching:

Another option is to use leaf litter as mulch in your garden. Mulching helps retain moisture in the soil, suppresses weed growth, and adds organic matter to the ground as it decomposes. Simply spread the leaf litter around the base of your plants, trees, and shrubs to provide them with natural nourishment. Leaves from deciduous trees quickly add nutrients to the soil, as they break down much faster than leaves from evergreen trees.

If you have an excess of leaves, you could also try offering leaf mulch for free to locals to use in their gardens. 

Waste refuse facilities / private waste collection: 

There are a number of green waste disposal services which are open to the public, such as the Werribee Tip and the Cleanaway Brooklyn Resource Recovery Centre. (Please note: there is a cost to use these services). 

There are also many waste businesses that will collect waste from your home for a fee.