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Jonathan Silvertown lives in a development where the grounds are managed by a crew that comes along with a leaf blower. On the bit of private ground around his house, they had obligingly removed the leaves from his flowerbeds. He went downstairs, thanked them for the kindness, and asked whether they would mind putting the leaves back.
One of the crew offered to bring him some more, and he took him up on it.
In the parks of central Edinburgh, he has watched people with leaf blowers walk up and down the flowerbeds between the shrubs, blowing the leaves away. Doing that throws money away, and it takes something from the ecology of the bed besides.
How does a leaf layer help a flowerbed?
A layer of leaves blocks the light that weed seeds need to sprout, which works as a physical barrier. It slows evaporation from the soil surface and moderates swings in soil temperature. As the leaves break down, they feed the earthworms, fungi, and bacteria that keep soil loose and fertile. Gardeners have used leaf mold, partly decayed leaves, as a soil improver for centuries.
Which animals shelter in fallen leaves?
The Xerces Society, an invertebrate conservation group, notes that many butterflies and moths spend the winter as eggs, caterpillars, or pupae in leaf litter. Bumble bee queens burrow under leaves to hibernate. Firefly larvae live in leaf litter and soil for up to two years before they become adults. Salamanders and toads also shelter in damp leaf layers.
Why does no one rake a forest?
On a forest floor, fungi, bacteria, and small invertebrates break leaves down where they fall, and the nutrients return to the roots of the trees that dropped them. In temperate forests the litter layer typically turns over in a year to several years, depending on the species. Oak leaves break down more slowly than maple leaves because they hold more tannin and lignin. The cycle has supported forests for millions of years without any raking.
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