Experts also point out that such waste should not be simply left to rot in the yard. After a very wet summer, piles of wet leaves and grass can become favorable places for slugs to hide and lay eggs.
Daiva Skrupskelienė, the business director of waste collection at the environmental management company “Ecoservice,” shares practical advice on how to tidy up the area in autumn while following the rules so that it does not become a convenient place for slugs to “stay,” according to the company’s press release.
The ban on burning expanded to more areas
Some residents used to simply burn leaves, dry grass, or other garden waste in autumn. In cities and towns, such burning of plant waste was already prohibited, but from May 1st, the ban has been extended to other areas as well.
Now, when there is no possibility to compost plants and their parts, they cannot be burned not only in cities and towns but also in resorts, resort areas, and garden communities outside city territories, except for specified exceptions.
In villages and homesteads, burning conditions may vary – they can be set by municipalities.
One of the exceptions applies to dry branches and other woody plant parts. In certain cases and under specified conditions, it is allowed to burn up to 1 cubic meter of such plant parts. This exception does not apply to leaves and cut grass.
The situation is different with firewood. A pruned or cut tree can be dried, prepared as fuel, and used in a stove, grill, or barbecue.
Perfect conditions for slugs
According to experts, when preparing the yard for winter, it is not necessary to aim to remove every single leaf. The most important thing is not to leave thick, long-wet piles of leaves, cut grass, and other green waste. They retain moisture, making such places favorable for slugs to hide and lay eggs. One invasive slug can lay up to 500 eggs per year, so wet piles of leaves and grass left in autumn can become a problem by the next spring.
According to the representative, one common mistake is to start autumn work too early without considering where the collected waste will be placed.
“Before starting yard work, it is worth assessing in advance how much waste will be generated and where it will be placed – in a designated container, composted, or managed in another way,” says waste collection business director D. Skrupskelienė.
According to her, some leaves can be composted or used as mulch, so it is not necessary to remove everything.
However, the expert points out that the composting site should also be tidy. It is better to accumulate green waste in one designated place rather than leave separate piles throughout the plot. Around the compost heap, fallen leaves, grass, or other rotting residues that retain moisture for a long time should also not be left.
When the compost bin is already full
One of the simplest ways to manage green waste on a small plot is to compost it. However, in autumn, within a short time, there can be much more leaves, grass, and other plant waste than the compost bin can hold. Especially this autumn, when there is plenty of moisture and the grass is still growing rapidly and needs to be cut.
In such cases, waste can be taken to green waste collection sites. They accept leaves, cut grass, weeds, small branches, and other plant waste. In many sites, these are collected from residents free of charge, but quantity or other municipality-imposed restrictions may apply.
“One of the most common mistakes is to throw green waste into mixed waste containers or leave it next to them. It is also wrong to think that grass or leaves can simply be taken to the forest edge because they will decompose anyway,” the representative notes.
According to her, improperly left rotting piles of grass and leaves retain moisture for a long time and can become a favorable habitat for various creatures, including invasive slugs, which quickly reach residents’ gardens. Moreover, rotting green waste piles can start to emit an unpleasant odor.
If there is a lot of waste and no possibility to take it to the site, green waste removal in big bags or special containers can be chosen. This solution can also be ordered by several neighbors together.
“Only plant-based waste should go into green waste big bags or containers. If pots, household waste, or other impurities are mixed in, it complicates waste sorting and further management,” says D. Skrupskelienė.
So this autumn, the rule is simple: green waste can no longer be burned in many places, but it should not be left to rot in the yard either. What you do not use for compost or mulch should be taken away or handed over to waste managers.
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