Bismarck's Free Leaf Collection Service Runs Through October

The City of Bismarck is offering a free leaf collection service this month.

The temperatures are dropping, the leaves are changing colors and falling off the trees. If your yard is piling up with tree debris, start raking ASAP; the City of Bismarck's free leaf collection weeks are coming up soon.

October 19-22 and October 26-29, any leaves placed in garbage containers (not to exceed 32 gallons) or compostable bags will be collected on your regular scheduled garbage day. You don't have to do anything too special; just place your bags or containers at your normal collection point by 6 am on garbage day, and a separate truck will come by, pick them up, and compost them.

Keep in mind, leaves placed in plastic bags will not be collected.

Why You Shouldn't Bag Your Leaves

According to NPR, 8 million leaves end up in landfills across the country. That's insane when you think about how leaves are organic matter, which naturally decomposes. Leaves are actually good for your grass. The source says they are full of nutrients, like potassium, phosphorus, and Nitrogen. They also serve as a natural habitat for insects.

If you miss the free leaf collection weeks or want to do it differently, you can optimize your fallen leaves by running a thin layer over them with the lawn mower. This will help break them down faster. If you do this a couple of times this fall, you can prevent your leaf pile from getting too thick. This way, your grass won't get harmed, and you'll save time and energy on raking and bagging.