DON'T JUST LEAVE LEAVES; MULCH OR BURN THEM, HAUL OR RAKE THEM

Wisps of smoke and shoulders sore from pulling a rake are as much parts of autumn as pumpkin pie and frosty mornings.

Blankets of leaves provide fertile fields for those who enjoy an afternoon of yard work. When it comes to disposing of the leaves, there are choices.

Some communities offer leaf collection services and do-it-yourself disposal sites. Leaf recycling is an option many may find warrants a second glance.

"Leaves make an excellent mulch," noted Anne Foust of Cape Garden Supply. Added nutrients and organic matter are two pluses of such efforts. "You can't get too much organic matter in Cape's heavy clay soil," Foust noted.

While leaf recycling is a positive move for several reasons, there are certain precautions that should be taken, noted Gerald Bryan, agronomy specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

"If they do till them directly in, they need to pay close attention and monitor their soil pH level and they may also need to add extra nitrogen to aid in the breakdown," he explained.

Because of their general acidic effect, if applying leaves to a garden or flower bed, it is a good idea to take a sample of the soil every two to three years and have it tested, he advised.

Foust noted that shredded leaves can be used as mulch right away, but warned that whole leaves have a tendency to pack.

For Cape Girardeau residents looking to dispose of their leaves in another way, there are maps to give them direction.

Leaf collection will begin Monday, and maps outlining the route schedule are available at some local grocery stores and other sites, explained Emmett Baker, public works department project coordinator.

Leaf collection will begin in Zone A. "We'll spend five days in each zone," Baker said. The process will continue with a new zone each week until all of the city's six zones have been served consecutively.

"Bags of leaves will not be accepted during the collection," Baker emphasized. Instead, leaves must be raked to the edge of the street. Leaves should not be raked into the street, he said. City workers will use special machinery to vacuum the leaves into large trucks.

As another option, residents can haul leaves to 1400 S. West End Boulevard. Hours are noon to 5 Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, Bennett said.

"You can bring them in trash bags, or you can bring them loose in a pickup," Bennett said, "As long as you're able to unload them yourselves." An on-site attendant will give instructions.

The city mulches the leaves and offers the mulch free to residents at two sites. Plus, Bennett noted, farmers interested in obtaining leaves can contact the public works department.

In Jackson, residents can bag their leaves and set them out on their regular trash day.

"They should set them separate from their regular trash," noted Jack Floyd, city sanitation supervisor. City workers will come back around and collect the bagged leaves as quickly as possible, perhaps by the next day, he noted.

"When it gets really into the season, we may be running a little behind, so please bear with us," Floyd said.

Scott City also offers leaf disposal options. Residents can bag their leaves and request pick up by calling city hall, explained city worker Tina Venable.

City residents can also haul their leaves to a drop-off site, Venable said, noting that is the city's preferred method of leaf disposal. Directions to the drop-off site can be obtained by calling city hall.

People thinking of putting a match to their leaf piles should pause for a little reflection after all their hard work, some area firefighters urge.

"All it takes is one spark," warned Jackson Fire Chief Gary Niswonger. If the decision is made to burn the leaves, he said, "use good common sense and watch the fire."

Cape Girardeau residents can burn leaves between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on private property. "If they keep it small, no permit is required," noted Mike Morgan, public education officer for the city fire department.

Have a garden hose and rake nearby, he advised. Plus, he said, "Make sure it's attended at all times by someone that is responsible."

A permit is required for burning tree limbs or garden debris, Morgan noted. In all cases, it is against the law to burn leaves on streets.

While no permit is required to burn leaves on private property in Jackson, "we do encourage people to take extreme caution this time of year," Niswonger said. Low humidity combined with breezy conditions can make for tinderbox conditions.

Keep the fire small by feeding leaves into it, rather than igniting them all at once, Niswonger said. Any burning should be done on calm days and during daylight hours, he noted.

After the leaves are burned, "soak it good with water and make sure there is no smoldering at all," the fire chief said.

Many communities have their own fire codes regarding burning leaves. If in doubt, people should contact their local fire department.

Compost preparation is yet another leaf disposal option. In preparing a compost pile, "you essentially add different layers, such as leaves, lawn clippings, any type of organic residue," Bryan explained. "By keeping that wet and also by generally adding some extra fertilizer-type ingredients, it will break down and provide a material that can be used very effectively on home gardens, around flower beds and shrubs."

Extensive, easy-to-read materials about compost, mulch and other lawn and gardening topics are available through the University of Missouri Extension.