Raleigh has started picking up homeowners’ leaves. When and how to put yours out
Leaf collection has begun in The City of Oaks.
But when you should rake your leaves to the curb depends on where you live.
Raleigh makes two passes to collect loose leaves from single-family homes from November to February and has been criticized in recent years for how long it takes to get the leaves picked up.
This year the city is using “asset and data management techniques” and temporary leaf storage sites to make things go faster.
Here’s what you need to know before putting out your leaves.
When can I put out my leaves?
The city is divided into 12 zones. This year North Raleigh (Zone 3) goes first, before collections moves clockwise through the eastern part of the city, then south then west. The zones are collected in numerical order meaning zone 4 comes after zone 3 and zones 1 and 2 are the last to be collected this year.
However, winter and rainy weather can delay the schedule. Check the city’s website to see if your dates have changed.
How do I find out my zone?
Go to www.raleighnc.gov/leaf to type in your address to confirm your zone, but here is an outline as written on the city’s website.
- Zone 1 is bounded by Glenwood Avenue to the north, Wade Avenue to the south, I-440 to the east and the city limits to the west.
- Zone 2 is bounded by Creedmoor Road to the east, Glenwood Avenue to the south and west and the city limits to the north.
- Zone 3 is bounded by Six Forks Road to the east, I-440 to the south, Creedmoor Road to the west and the city limits to the north.
- Zone 4 is bounded by I-540 to the north, Falls of Neuse Road to the east, St. Albans Road to the south and Six Forks Road to the west.
- Zone 5 is bounded Falls of Neuse Road to the north and west, Capital Boulevard to the east and New Hope Church Road and St. Albans Road to the south.
- Zone 6 is bounded by Capital Boulevard to the west, Buffaloe Road to the south and the city limits to the north and east.
- Zone 7 is bounded by I-440, St. Albans Drive and New Hope Church Road to the north, Capital Boulevard to the east, Wade Avenue to the south and Glenwood Avenue to the west.
- Zone 8 is bounded by Buffaloe Road to the north, the city limits to the east, Poole Road and Edenton Street to the south and Person Street, Wake Forest Road and Capital Boulevard to the west.
- Zone 9 is bounded by Poole Road and Edenton Street to the north, the city limits to the ease and south and Person Street and Hammond Road to the west.
- Zone 10 is bounded by Western Boulevard to the north, Tryon Road and the city limits to the south, Person Street and Hammond Road to the east and I-40 and Jones Franklin Road to the west.
- Zone 11 is bounded by Wade Avenue to the North, Western Boulevard to the south, Person Street and Wake Forest Road to the east and I-40 to the west.
- Zone 12 is bounded by Glenwood Avenue to the north and east, Wade Avenue to the south and I-440 to the west.
How do I put out the leaves?
Place loose leaves no more than six feet from the edge of the asphalt. Do not park near the leaves as the city’s crews won’t pick up leaves within 4 feet of an obstacle.
Don’t put leaves in the street or block the sidewalk or storm drain. Sticks, trash, pet waste and Christmas trees should not be placed among the leaves.
What if I miss my turn?
If you didn’t put out your leaves in time you have a few options.
- Wait until the second pass, which is likely to begin in early 2022.
- Mulch the leaves or use them as backyard composting.
- Haul your leaves to the city’s Yard Waste Recycling Center, at 900. N. New Hope Road. There is a “dump fee” to use the service.
- Place your leaves in up to 15 biodegradable paper or clear plastic bags to be collected by the city on your recycling day.
What if my house got skipped?
If you put out your leaves on time and they weren’t picked up, go to raleighnc.gov/leaf and click on the Missed Leaf Collection form.
Can the city pick up my leaves in front of my business? Church? Apartment?
No. The city only collects leaves for single-family homes.
Commercial properties have to remove their own leaves, and landscape contractors are responsible for throwing away their leaves.
What if I have a leaf collection question?
You can contact the leaf line at 919-996-3720 or email leafcollection@raleighnc.gov
Where’s the best place to see the leaves change locally?
Zach Manor, an urban forester for the city of Raleigh, recommends visiting one of the city’s lakes like Lake Johnson and Lake Wheeler to watch the leaves change.
“Some of the great spots we have are kind of around water, because you kind of get that double view,” he said. “You get the reflection in the water, as well as on the trees themselves. So it’s almost like a double show.”
Areas around parks and greenways are also good spots to see autumn colors, he said.
Raleigh is lucky for having a diversity of tree species resulting in a wide variety of colors and timing for when they change.
“That diversity is pretty beneficial across the board and it also creates some beauty,” he said. “I think appreciating that kind of vistas and views are always important to take in. Especially these days when you can get some of the beauty of nature all around you before you have to start raking them all up and then you like them a little less, I think at that point.”
This story was originally published November 12, 2021 at 10:39 AM.
