BEDFORD – Leaf season has arrived. The Bedford City Street Department will use your trash day to be in your neighborhoods to pick up leaves each week.
If you are on special assistance or rear loader route, your leaf day will be the day others in the neighborhood have their trash picked up with the automated trash truck.
All leaves must be raked and in a pile within 3 feet of the curb. Do not place them in bags. Do not rake leaves in the roadway as they will clog the drains. It’s also important that you do not pile the leaves on the water meter lids or too close to the trash totes.
City crews use the brush truck daily. The brush must be at the street curb in order to have it picked up. Do not place it in the alleyway. The alleys are too narrow for the brush truck to negotiate.
Contact 812-279-9222 if you have brush to be picked up or if you notice a pile that has been there for a long. When you call, please leave the location and or address for the needed pick up.
The Benefits of Mulching Leaves
- Soil enrichment: Leaf mulch returns nutrients to the soil.
- Water conservation: Mulch helps retain moisture in soils.
- Less waste: Won’t need to have bags for yard waste.
- Insulation: Leaf mulch acts as an insulating barrier from the heat in summer and the cold in winter.
- Weed control: Mulch helps reduce the growth of weeds.
Leaf-mulching tips
- Keep mower blade sharp
- Set mower blade to 2.5 inches
- Mow dry leaves
- Push mower slowly
- Mow when there is no more than 1 inch of leaf litter
- When adding mulch to gardens, do not put right up to the base of plants or trees. Make the mulch no deeper than 2 to 3 inches.
- For those who use lawn services, ask them to leaf mulch.
Uses for leaf mulch
- Leave it on the lawn
- Dig leaves directly into the garden to add organic matter and the nutrients
- Put leaf mulch on gardens and flower beds or around trees and shrubs. Source: York Region Solid Waste Management
The goal in taking these actions is to work together to make Bedford a better place.
