Leaf Raiders....!

[Halfway]

It's that time of year woooo hooooooo! 10 p.m. drives through neighborhoods to snag them pre-packaged beauties awaiting the truck!!

I like to shake it up a bit and target those with the big old maple trees and mix in a few birch and oak too!

How about you??

[!potatoes!]

the city of asheville, nc just changed its rules about such things - they had previously sucked up loose piles of leaves with a big vacuum truck - and now they require bagging. looking forward to the easier pickin's. (another couple weeks here, probably)

[PunkRotten]

No one gets mad if you take their leaves? What if you get caught?

[!potatoes!]

they just want to get rid of them, that's why they have them out there, 'for pickup'

it's win/win. I've had cops smile and nod at me while I was picking up bagged leaves from public areas before.

[rainbowgardener]

Yup! I've been noticing the first yard waste bags starting to be put out and eyeing them...

I've been bringing home bags of other people's leaves for several years now and it's never been a problem, even if people are watching me load them up. As potatoes said, they are out on the curb to be taken away, so nobody really cares who takes them away.

It really is great stuff for your garden/ compost pile, so you wouldn't want it to get wasted.

[PunkRotten]

Do you guys ever worry about whether or not the leaves are clean? How do you know the trees/bushes were not treated with anything? WHat if it came froma diseased tree?


Over here in my county they had free mulch. You got to a site and pack it up yourself. I got a big bag of it. But then realized all this is made from the yard wastes they collect from peoples green trashcans. And it bothered me cause I have no way of knowing what people have sprayed or dropped on their grass and trees. So I changed my mind on going back and getting more mulch.

[tomc]

Do you guys ever worry about whether or not the leaves are clean? How do you know the trees/bushes were not treated with anything? What if it came from a diseased tree?

PR autumnal tree leaves are the least likely of any yard waste to have residual spray(s).

Disease? What disease?

[rainbowgardener]

Yeah. I wouldn't pick up people's grass clippings if they were giving them away, because most people spray all kinds of stuff on their lawns. But nobody I know sprays their 100 year old 100 foot tall oak and maple trees.

[Halfway]

Agreed with RG. I figure the odds are pretty low of spraying and even then, probably low on residuals. The pounds and pounds of fresh garden scraps will help "cook 'em out" over the next few months.

Wooot!!

[toxcrusadr]

It would actually be fun to build your own truck mounted vacuum leaf sucker/shredder and go around sucking up people's piles.

Another fantasy that I can imagine but would never have the time for...

[stylemichelle21]

It would actually be fun to build your own truck mounted vacuum leaf sucker/shredder and go around sucking up people's piles.

Another fantasy that I can imagine but would never have the time for...

I've actually thought about the benefits of being "in cahoots" with the local trash collectors as far as lawn waste goes. However, having your own leaf sucking truck would be terrific!

[Bloody Boots]

Tried this last year and it worked, when the city folks come around to pick up those leaves, ask them nicely if they could leave your blocks leaves in your yard!

A nice request, and a offer of a twelve pack for the crew and they left me a 6 foot high and at least 20 foot long pile on my front yard last year! True, I had to mow it down in to nice mulch/compost. But it beat going leaf hunting at night, and now days most my neighbors bring me their branches and garden waste for the pile themselves.

Even taught a few how to build their own piles and a few even started their own gardens after seeing ours!

[gixxerific]

I have been raiding all year. I get grass and whatnot during the summer. I just made a huge three trip score. I think my beds are full up right now.

[rainbowgardener]

I think my beds are full up right now.

Yeah but whenever I can, I get extra, to feed in to my compost pile all through the winter and spring when browns can be in short supply. In dead of winter, my compost pile is mainly kitchen scraps and fall leaves.

I just stack a pile of yard waste bags full of leaves in an out of the way place and use them up gradually. The outdoor cats love them as bedding!

[rainbowgardener]

Brought home my first 3 yard waste bags of other people's fall leaves today!

[stella1751]

Brought home my first 3 yard waste bags of other people's fall leaves today!

Good for you! Municipal leaf collection here is November 1. I'm going to hit the elderly trailer court by me again this year and get as many as I can. I didn't have to do it last year; I got so many the previous year

[tomc]

I might not reccomend this on a year round basis. *But* for autumnal leaves I would do it ina cold second again.

When I lived in Tilton NH, I went one year to the local Dunkin' Donuts, and propositioned the local yard service(s) who stopped there, that, if they were tired of paying the local transfer station tipping fee (then $ 7.00 per truck). They could drop off leaves for free in my yard...

And they did, it was wonderful...

[stella1751]

It just occurred to me that I will need to steal leaves Halloween night if I want to beat Tuesday morning's leaf pickup. I hope no one thinks I'm a trickster

[rainbowgardener]

It just occurred to me that I will need to steal leaves Halloween night if I want to beat Tuesday morning's leaf pickup. I hope no one thinks I'm a trickster

Wear a costume! No one will notice you...

[ruggr10]

Where I am people either bring leaves to the transfer station or dump them in the if they're lucky enough to live by them... I wish I could find some leaves!!!!

[stella1751]

It just occurred to me that I will need to steal leaves Halloween night if I want to beat Tuesday morning's leaf pickup. I hope no one thinks I'm a trickster

Wear a costume! No one will notice you...

Not a bad idea. I think I will go as a Hefty Leaf and Garden trash bag

[rainbowgardener]

Where I am people either bring leaves to the transfer station or dump them in the if they're lucky enough to live by them... I wish I could find some leaves!!!!

Just out of curiosity, dump them in the _________ ?

That does make it harder if there aren't bags of leaves sitting on the curb waiting to be picked up and there aren't piles of leaves by the street as I sometimes see (then I bag them up myself).

So then you would have to get more creative. Read back through some of the suggestions here. Talk to your neighbors and see if some of them would be willing to give you their leaves instead of taking them to the transfer station (I have no idea what that is!). Talk to a yard service company. etc.

[john gault]

Another possible option: Around my area we have many people in landscaping, so it's very easy to contact them and have them deliver leaves to the house, since it's more convient than taking out to the dump.

[garlic bronco]

Where I am people either bring leaves to the transfer station or dump them in the if they're lucky enough to live by them... I wish I could find some leaves!!!!

Just out of curiosity, dump them in the _________ ?

That does make it harder if there aren't bags of leaves sitting on the curb waiting to be picked up and there aren't piles of leaves by the street as I sometimes see (then I bag them up myself).

So then you would have to get more creative. Read back through some of the suggestions here. Talk to your neighbors and see if some of them would be willing to give you their leaves instead of taking them to the transfer station (I have no idea what that is!). Talk to a yard service company. etc.

transfer station... aka dump aka where they take your garbage/recycling/yard waiste

[john gault]

I got three bags today and found two nice looking plants (with flowers) in them; looked like they were just ripped from the ground and thrown away.

I've had luck in the past with plants that were literally ripped from the ground; I planted them and they lived. These looked like they were just out of the ground, so if they live I'll get some pics up.


And I got two very big pumpkins that were not carved; trying to decide whether to smash them in the garden and see if they grow or throw them in the compost. As of now I just got them sitting out in the garden.

[Runningtrails]

I pick up leaves at the side of the road too! I have several large oaks and lots of leaves but the bagged ones at the side of the road are already raked for me

It beats having to rake my ow!n They are starting to appear at the roadside now. I'll have to start bringing them home and mowing over them.

Some come in plastic recycle bags. Those I water and just pile. They develop into nice leave mould by springtime. This year I plan to add a leaf or two of comfrey to help it along.

I have lots of new garden space, now covered with cardboard to kill the grass. I desperately need that mulch to keep it all in place. After every big wind, I have to go put the cardboard back where it goes...

[john gault]

I got three bags today and found two nice looking plants (with flowers) in them; looked like they were just ripped from the ground and thrown away.

I've had luck in the past with plants that were literally ripped from the ground; I planted them and they lived. These looked like they were just out of the ground, so if they live I'll get some pics up.

One looks like it may be dieing, it's at least not flowering, the other is doing fine

And I got two very big pumpkins that were not carved; trying to decide whether to smash them in the garden and see if they grow or throw them in the compost. As of now I just got them sitting out in the garden.

Yesterday, I was noticing some new plants popping up in my garden and was thinking they look a little like a watermelon-type plants, but I knew I hadn't planted any lately, then I remembered those two pumpkins....

[gixxerific]

Kicking myself in the butt for not picking up the 20+ bags of what I'm sure were leaves yesterday that were just up my street a few houses.

My garden is full my compost is full, I could have stored them and I thought about that. BUt they had been out all night in bags wiht tons of rain. I would have been wearing more leaves than I put in my truck.

Still I should have.

[Tilde]

I was just leaf-raided! Or ... hey, I was going to eat that, eventually.

Must have happened over lunch...

Fridays are our usual bulk pickup day. There was no alternate pickup today because of the holiday - palm fronds were strewn on various swayles all day and night.

As the kids biked around last night, I trimmed the mahogany in the front, taking off a good chunk of low hanging and over-heavy branches (I've had a few break off from lack of grooming).

I was too tired to put them anywhere but the swayle; I usually haul them to the back yard, let them dry, skin the leaves, and send the branches for compost.

This morning, when I went to work, they were on the swayle. At lunch, they were there. Tonight, a few hours later? Gone.

I hope the leaf raider enjoys them next time I won't leave them out in the pick up spot early ....

[rainbowgardener]

Well at least you know they went to someone who really wanted them and will put them to good use -- otherwise who would pick up palm fronds? Not like there's much resale market for them!

Sorry if you lost stuff you wanted for your compost pile.

What I pick up is only leaves in yard waste bags, sitting on the curb for pickup. I figure the owners really are trying to get rid of those.

[Tilde]

Nah, no one bags around here - green pickup is weekly here we have so much of it all the time.

Yeah, I would have liked to have had it but it was totally in a 'fair game' spot - glad someone had a reason to have it.

And actually, I *have* found a use for palm fronds after brainstorming with friends. I'll start with my own and then start street scavenging as I get closer to my own raised bed setup.

[gixxerific]

It's all fun and games till "It" happens to you.

[john gault]

And actually, I *have* found a use for palm fronds after brainstorming with friends. I'll start with my own and then start street scavenging as I get closer to my own raised bed setup.

What do you do with them?

I save my own and place around my compost pile (behind it) to provide habitat for the lizard, snakes and such. And the stem section I cut off and use as stakes. However, I have more than enough just from my two palm trees, couldn't really collect them, would be too much.

[Tilde]

Lots of ideas, none implemented. Right now I'm skinning the still green but not quite up to HOA standards ones I chopped down - going to dry the leaves and use them to line the bottoms of my raised beds in the spring. I can also raid them off of the street and fill in the bed - I plan to do 1 brick high of fronds and sticks, then two bricks high of dirt.

As for the leaf-less fronds, I'll take the ribs and use them as hoops, maybe for shade cloth, or use them for pea and bean climbers.

The other things I've seen online include making baskets with the green fronds, slice and weave them a special way - maybe I'll try it this summer.

Also, I'm going to experiment with drying skinned leaves in circles to use to make home-made plant starter pots.

And if it all stinks I can put it on the corner for leaf raiders - sanctioned and "pirate", lol.

[Tilde]

dupe