# By your leave(s) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 7, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-your-leave-s/421856 "2007-10-07T16:29:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-your-leave-s/421856/1 "2007-10-07T16:29:13Z")
Fall is here. I can tell because the leaves are falling. I love this time of year, but boy are the leaves a chore. I’d go out and rake them into a big pile near the fire pit. It would take a couple of hours to burn them all. But my neighbourhood has been designated an ‘Urban Growth Area’ – notwithstanding that there’s nothing ‘urban’ about this place. As such, a permanent burn ban is in effect. We’re not allowed/supposed to put yard waste into the trash bin, and anyway there’s too much of it. The waste disposal company doesn’t, AFAIK, supply organic recycling services. I don’t have need for a compost heap. So what do I do with all these leaves? I’m inclined to let them lie and then mulch them with the mower next spring. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-your-leave-s/421856/2 "2007-10-07T16:54:34Z")
What is this “fall” of which you speak? And “leaves?” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-your-leave-s/421856/3 "2007-10-07T17:08:57Z")
[QUOTE=EJsGirl] What is this “fall” of which you speak? And “leaves?” 😉 [/QUOTE] That ‘season’ of which I experienced only a poor imitation as I was growing up. ‘Leaves’ are like palm fronds, only more numerous and much smaller. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-your-leave-s/421856/4 "2007-10-07T18:14:57Z")
I used to have to bag them up and set them on the curb for trash pickup. It was horrible. Those last few mounds…I would just grab the lawn mower and mow over them a dozen times. We tried a vacuum, but it was so small and we had so many leaves, it just wasn’t worth it. ---
**Author:** ![brendon\_small](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brendon_small/32/17101_2.png) [@brendon\_small](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brendon_small)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-your-leave-s/421856/5 "2007-10-07T19:14:25Z")
I let them sit. Actually, when I first got in this house, I wanted the yard to look nice, so I raked them up into a pile and put them out for pick up. The next week, my yard was covered in them - not from my trees, but from a neighbor’s. I gave up. Of course, I still mulch them with the mower. I find the little brown pieces of leaf-bits look good over my big patch of grass and dead grass in the back yard. Brendon Small ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-your-leave-s/421856/6 "2007-10-07T19:49:09Z")
I used to have something similar to [this](http://www.cleanairgardening.com/yardcleanup.html), but without the wheels. Worked great. My two daughters would fight over who got to rake up the leaves. :dubious: Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-your-leave-s/421856/7 "2007-10-07T20:03:53Z")
But where do I get two daughters? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-your-leave-s/421856/8 "2007-10-07T20:05:29Z")
> [@](#): > > ‘Leaves’ are like palm fronds, only more numerous and much smaller. So why would anybody want 'em?? Me, I likes my palm fronds. Oh yeah–one more question: Why do you work so hard to accumulate these numerous small objects called “leaves”? Are they valuable? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-your-leave-s/421856/9 "2007-10-07T20:07:28Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] But where do I get two daughters? 😕 [/QUOTE] You tell me! Mine grew up and moved away. And I don’t remember where I got them. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-your-leave-s/421856/10 "2007-10-07T20:12:14Z")
[QUOTE=chappachula] So why would anybody want 'em?? Me, I likes my palm fronds. Oh yeah–one more question: Why do you work so hard to accumulate these numerous small objects called “leaves”? Are they valuable? [/QUOTE] Your question is meaningless because your location is undisclosed. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-your-leave-s/421856/11 "2007-10-07T20:14:28Z")
I don’t mind raking, but disposing of the elaves is a chore. The nearby bigtown has a leaf collection service so all you do is heap them at the curb and they suck them up. Here in smalltown they have a wonderful compost site for leaves and branches - free compos. But you have to haul it yourself. With my smallish car I make like 11 trips a year hauling leaves. It is easer with my hatchback - just lay down a tarp and shovel the leaves in. In my old car I’d bag the leaves, empty the bags, then refill. Brian ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-your-leave-s/421856/12 "2007-10-07T20:51:58Z")
[QUOTE=N9IWP] I don’t mind raking, but disposing of the elaves is a chore. The nearby bigtown has a leaf collection service so all you do is heap them at the curb and they suck them up. Here in smalltown they have a wonderful compost site for leaves and branches - free compos. But you have to haul it yourself. With my smallish car I make like 11 trips a year hauling leaves. It is easer with my hatchback - just lay down a tarp and shovel the leaves in. In my old car I’d bag the leaves, empty the bags, then refill. Brian [/QUOTE] They qualify as eleaves only if you compost them.