Trees look beautiful when the new leaves come out in the spring. Blossoming trees and their fruit are a popular subject for artists. Throughout summer, trees help shade a home to keep temperatures cooler. Vacations are planned around viewing the breathtaking beauty of leaves when they turn bright red, orange and yellow in autumn. It’s when the leaves fall to the ground that someone may not know what to do with them.
Many years ago it was a common practice to wait for a day when the wind was calm, grab a rake, make a pile of leaves and burn them. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, frowns on this method. In some areas it is illegal and violators are fined. The EPA cites health problems from the smoke and run-away fires. Check the status of this method in your area.
There are other methods available for disposing of the leaves. Many communities have set aside special days for hauling them away. Some communities allow the leaves to be raked onto the street along the curb. Leaf blowers are light-weight, accomplish the same job as a rake and are easy to use. Communities use special equipment to collect the leaves along the street.
Stuffing leaves into trash bags is another method for disposing of leaves in communities. Lawn mowers with bagging attachments make the job easy. There may be a weight limit for each bag, and special bags may be required. The collected leaves often are taken to a compost facility.
Leaves are a great component to add to a compost pile. Gardeners and landscapers are always looking for ways to improve soil quality. Plants need magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and nitrogen for their growth. The nutrients contained in leaves from a large tree may cost up to $50.
Compost piles are easy to make. Pick out a spot and start throwing organic matter there. Leaves pile high but the pile flattens out when it rains. Depending on where someone lives, a fence around the area or compost bin might be advisable.
Leaves make an excellent ground cover for winterizing trees, bushes and shrubs. Pile them a few inches high. In a garden, pile leaves on top of the soil until the layer is two or three-inches thick, then work the leaves into the soil. It’s an excellent way to prepare the soil for the following spring.
Gathering leaves for community disposal, a compost pile or mulching is not all that can be done. Often, an area is too large to clear, too hard to get to, the trees are a safety hazard or it would take too much time. A professional arborist can help determine whether removing a single tree limb, the whole tree or several trees would be the wisest thing to do. Expert tree removal companies have the equipment, training and skills to help with a single tree limb or 100 acres.
Contact the professionals at Rickstreeservice.com today for a consultation concerning a tree or the woods. Rickstreeservice.com has a solid reputation with contractors, builders and developers.
