Photo by Cameron Healy
It’s getting to be the time of year for leaves — lots of leaves falling everywhere!
What should we do with all of them? The main thing is to keep them out of our drains, where they can clog the stormwater system and potentially cause flooding.
According to Mary G. Lusk of the University of Florida IFAS Extension, leaves, acorns, and grass clippings contain nutrients that stormwater can carry into our waterways. Those excess nutrients can contribute to water-quality problems and harmful algal blooms. Lusk discusses the issue in her UF/IFAS publication, How to Manage Yard Wastes to Protect Surface Water Resources.
Nothing but rain should enter our drains. Gulfport has an Adopt-a-Drain program started by Vice Mayor Marlene Shaw.
Keep Those Leaves Out of the Drains
It’s easiest to let leaves and acorns break down where they fall. They add nutrients to the soil and provide nesting material and habitat for wildlife. UF/IFAS recommends leaving leaf litter where it can benefit the landscape and using leaves as mulch or compost.
Leaves make great mulch and it’s free! Some are better shredded by the mower or a leaf shredder, but most can just stay where they fall or be raked and moved into plant beds away from the street.
Leaves, acorns, and grass clippings can also be added to your compost. It is essential that grass clippings are not left in the street. UF/IFAS advises sweeping or blowing clippings that land on streets and sidewalks back onto the lawn rather than allowing them to enter storm drains or gutters. Grass clippings can contribute nutrients to stormwater and can also clog storm drains.
If you have no appropriate place for the yard waste, it can be bagged in compostable bags and put out for pickup with other tree and palm cuttings, according to local collection requirements.
Read the latest column of Neighbor to Neighbor.
Put Those Leaves to Work
If you choose to compost your yard waste, here are some guidelines from UF/IFAS Extension:
- Large or coarse debris such as tree branches will compost easier if put through a chipper first.
- Waxy leaves such as those from magnolia trees or live oaks will compost faster if put through a chipper first.
- Establish your compost near a water spigot so you can add water regularly enough to keep the compost just moist. Also, place it in a sunny area with good drainage.
- You should build your compost pile in layers, each being 3-4 inches deep. The first layer should be a “green” material such as grass clippings or kitchen scraps (fruit and vegetable peels, for example). Next, add a “brown” layer of materials such as leaf litter, twigs, and acorns. Then top with another green layer and so on.
- Turn the compost often to speed up the composting process.
- UF/IFAS Extension offers a step-by-step tutorial on how to get started with composting, found at sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu.
Photo by Cameron Healy
What About Our Stormwater Ponds?
UF/IFAS also has some advice about what happens around community stormwater ponds. A “no mow” or low-maintenance area around a pond can help protect the water from pollutants in stormwater runoff, including excess nutrients from yard waste. These areas also provide habitat for wildlife.
There is a pretty good fringe around Gulfport’s Wood Ibis Park, but Tomlinson Park is mowed down to the water’s edge. This also creates the potential for a lot of grass clippings to end up in the water.
There’s a lot we can do with all those leaves besides bagging them up and sending them away. Let them stay where they fall when appropriate, use them as mulch, add them to the compost pile — and most importantly, keep leaves and grass clippings out of our streets and storm drains.
About Neighbor to Neighbor
April Thanos served on Gulfport City Council as the Ward I representative. Her views are hers alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff, owners, or advertisers. You can reach April at any time at april@thegabber.com. The Gabber Newspaper may use any emails sent to that address in our Voices column; if you do not want your email used, please let her know in the email.
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