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Leave or remove fallen leaves?

MeomyeMeomye Posts: 949
in Problem solving
I have removed all the fallen leaves from the lawn but still have lots in the beds. etc. I am confused as to whether i should remove the remaining in ones in the beds, because, on the one hand i have read that they can carry diseases etc and on the other that they are good protection from frosts.  Can anyone clarify please? t i a
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Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    I leave them in the interest of all the wildlife they support through winter. My exception would be for little Alpine plant if I grew them


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    I also remove them from the lawn and from the crown of plants which don’t like to be wet (per Nut’s suggestion).

    In spring, if there is still leaf debris around plants vulnerable to slug and snail attack(eg the young growth of hostas),  I clear those areas as part of the spring tidy up. A lot of it is just left for the worms to mix into the soil.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    I collect the leaves from under roses that have Black Spot to try and lessen the fungus the following year, otherwise I leave them.
  • glasgowdanglasgowdan Posts: 632
    Up to you,  I blow them clear if I get time as the beds look so much better
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    My dad always left them, he said they rot down, the worms will do the job.
    I like to take some off the borders, don’t know why really as I’ll be piling mulch over them soon. 
    They seem to disappear off the grass eventually, probably blow away here 💨🌬
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I leave all mine too. I'd only move them from vulnerable plants, as the ground can become very wet here, so it's not great for some emerging plants if they then have sodden leaves on them, as @Topbird says.
    Any alpine type plants I have are either in gravel, in pots, or not near areas where there's much dropping foliage, so it's not an issue with those either. If they were in the ground anywhere I'd keep them clear. 

    I love watching the blackies flick the foliage up, looking for little treasures underneath too  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • jaffacakesjaffacakes Posts: 434
    I rake them from the lawn but leave them on the borders. Natures compost  :)
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    I clear them from borders and the lawn if I've time, the inclination and good weather. I try to do vulnerable plants first and where bulbs are planted. 
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    I mulch over them
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    The leaves are raked off the lawn, paths and driveways, bagged, and dug into soil when broken down or they are put on compost heap. We don't rake up the fallen leaves from beds and borders because we don't want to disturb the wood chip already laid on them.
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