Q&A: Ground Leaves

A: Master gardener Paul James, host of Gardening by the Yard, says you can often do just that. In flower beds, for instance, it's okay to let small leaves stay where they fall and then work them into the soil in the spring.

Larger leaves, though, such as those from certain oaks, sweet gums, sycamores and maples tend to mat down too much to decompose well. Also, if you let leaves stay on your lawn, they can compact so much that they may smother the grass. It's best to rake, shred and add them to the compost pile, or just use a mulching mower to turn them into a more degradable form of organic matter to leave on the lawn.