Every autumn, Canberra driveways, gutters and lawns disappear under a colourful blanket of fallen leaves. It can feel overwhelming — but those leaves are one of the most valuable resources your garden produces all year. Here’s how to make the most of them:
- Mow them back in. Run a mower over a light leaf layer and let the shredded pieces fall into the grass — they feed soil microbes and return nutrients to the root zone.
- Mulch garden beds. Rake leaves into beds at 5–8cm deep. This insulates roots against Canberra’s sharp frosts, retains moisture and suppresses weeds heading into winter.
- Build a compost bay. Leaves are the perfect ‘brown’ carbon layer. Alternate with kitchen scraps and green garden waste, keep it moist, and by spring you’ll have rich crumbly compost.
- Keep trunks clear. Don’t let leaves pile up against the base of trees or shrubs — a thick wet layer trapping moisture against bark can harbour fungal disease over the cold months. Keep a 10–15cm clear zone around each trunk.
- Avoid blocking drains. Clear leaves from gutters and stormwater grates regularly — a blocked drain after a heavy autumn downpour causes far more damage than the leaves themselves.
Mulch protects trees from frost, reduces evaporation and keeps roots cool.
