Falling leaves are a natural part of a tree's life cycle when autumn comes. However, one Redditor was annoyed that their neighbor wasn't in a rush to rake their leaves, which then blew into their yard.
"During the fall it's the absolute worst," the poster said in the r/Gardening subreddit. "I don't want to be petty, and blow his leaves back into his yard, but I'm tired of taking entire Saturday afternoons to blow my leaves. Am I being 'that neighbor', or is my irritation justified??"
While it is understandable that the original poster doesn't want things from a neighbor's yard in their space, one commenter highlighted how there are worse things to deal with than fallen leaves, as they naturally provide nutrients for your soil.
"You've got free leaf mulch staring right at you," they wrote.
The idea is also backed by experts like National Wildlife Federation naturalist David Mizejewski, who advised: "Let fallen leaves stay on your property. … Why spend money on mulch and fertilizer when you can make your own?"
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, around 35.4 million tons of landfill waste in 2018 consisted of yard debris like leaves.
And because it doesn't have "enough oxygen to decompose," per the NWF, that waste produces methane — a potent planet-warming gas — when it could otherwise be benefiting your bottom line as well as serving as a habitat for wildlife, especially friendly ones that need a winter nest.
If you have more leaves on the ground than you prefer, you can always compost them. If you still have more than you know what to do with, some cities have green recycling services that will handle them. Just make sure your bags are free from other materials.
In response to the OP's question, many commenters felt that they were indeed "that neighbor."
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"Most gardeners in semi-urban areas (as it sounds like you are) would be grateful for the free leaf resource to use in the garden or compost pile. It's 'fall' for a reason… everywhere is going to be covered in leaves," one commenter said.
Praising the beauty and fun that comes from this natural cycle, another said: "Majority of residents wait til the leaves are all down due to this and just enjoy all the colours of nature, kids kicking up the leaves etc. in spring/summer, everywhere is covered in blossom petal."
Someone else pointed out: "They're leaves not toxic waste."
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