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While a river may seem safer than the street, blowing leaves into the water can cause a lot of problems. Leaves can alter the local ecosystem, encourage bad algae growth and block narrow waterways. In large numbers, leaf debris can lead to fish death events in nearby bays or lakes and require expensive dredging to address. That’s why many cities also ban blowing leaves into water.

Lazy composting involves putting leaves, grass clippings, and plant trimmings in a corner of your yard and letting nature take its course. There is no turning, watering, or balancing green and brown materials. It’s a low-effort, long-term approach that can take up to one or two years to create finished compost. It is perfect for gardeners who don’t mind waiting and want a no-fuss way to repurpose organic waste.

The frequency of gardening service visits depends on two significant factors—the service and your budget. If you’re a gardening DIYer and only need someone to check on your plant's health quality, you might not need many visits throughout the year. However, if you love the idea of a garden but don't have the time or patience to plant, water, and maintain your garden, you might need weekly visits (or more, depending on the weather).

It’s unlikely your leaves are a hazard, especially if you get to them while they’re dry. However, a couple of rare risks exist. University studies suggest that decaying leaves can produce organochlorines, toxic pollutants similar to man-made PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), so avoid keeping them in an enclosed area.

Also, leaves and compost may cause the growth of fungi that can cause diseases like histoplasmosis and aspergillosis, as well as mold spores that are unhealthy for human lungs. Again, severe issues are rare, but those with compromised immune systems or allergies to mold should wear face masks when directly handling leaves.