originally uploaded to flickr.com by jdn
Fall foliage is beautiful – while it’s still on the trees.
When all those leaves gradually fall to the ground (or are pelted down all at once by a rain storm) we feel compelled to gather them into piles. You can do many things with these piles. You can jump in them, completely negating your raking, or you can add them to your compost pile or barrel if you’re in to composting. Then there are some, who use them to build a winter nest, or those who take advantage of the annual leaf collection services provided by the DC Department of Public Works.
If you’re part of the latter group, DC will collect leaves twice in each Ward. For Ward 6 north of East Capitol Street NE, leaves should be raked to the treebox (street-side) by Nov. 3rd for collection on Now. 4th-16th, and again by Dec. 1st for collection on Dec. 2nd-14th. For residents south of East Capitol Street SE, the first collection will occur Nov. 18th-Nov. 30th, and the second collection Dec. 16th-Dec. 28th. The full listing of collections across the city can be found here.
Remember to keep your piles to leaves only – no branches, tree limbs, children’s toys or nosy neighbors. Also, keep the leaves in the treebox and not in the street, under parked cars or in or near storm drains.