Fall Leaf Cleanup in London, Ontario: Yard Waste Rules and Options
In London, Ontario, you can bag fall leaves in paper yard waste bags, reusable containers or certified compostable bags for curbside Green Week collection, drop them free at a City EnviroDepot, or mulch them into your lawn with a mower. Plastic bags aren't accepted, and each bag or bundle can weigh up to 20 kg. Whatever you choose, don't leave a thick, wet mat of leaves on the lawn over winter. That's an invitation for dead patches and snow mould in spring.
London's mature trees mean a lot of leaves. Here's how to deal with them efficiently and within the City's rules.
Option 1: Mulch leaves into the lawn
The City of London encourages mulching leaves right into your lawn. It's the least work and returns organic matter to the soil.
How to do it well:
Mow when leaves are dry and the layer is light.
Use a mulching blade if you have one, or mow over the leaves a few times.
Aim for dime-sized pieces that fall between the grass blades.
Don't wait too long. If the layer gets thick, mulching becomes difficult.
If you can still see plenty of grass after mowing, you're fine. If the lawn is buried under chopped leaves, rake off the excess.
Option 2: Curbside yard waste collection
London collects yard waste on Green Weeks between late March and December. According to the City's yard waste page:
Accepted containers: reusable containers (30 to 125 L), paper yard waste bags, or certified compostable bags.
No plastic bags.
Weight limit: each container, bag or bundle can weigh up to 20 kg.
Branches: under 10 cm in diameter, tied in bundles no longer than 1 m.
Set-out time: by 7 a.m. on the Monday of your Green Week.
London's waste collection by-law (WM-12) also caps paper bags at 100 cm × 76 cm. Your Green Week dates depend on your address, so check the City's collection calendar or the Recycle Coach app.
Tips for curbside collection
Don't overfill bags. Wet leaves get heavy fast.
Fold the tops of paper bags closed so they don't fill with rain.
Put bags out the morning of, or the night before, to keep them dry.
Plan ahead. In November 2024, the City delayed fall collection because of a surge of bags after warm weather. Don't leave everything until the last Green Week.
Option 3: EnviroDepot drop-off
If you have more leaves than your Green Week can handle, the City's EnviroDepots accept yard waste for free, including branches under 10 cm in diameter. Locations include:
28 Clarke Rd
1450 Oxford St W
21462 Clarke Rd
W12A Landfill, 3502 Manning Dr (closed Sundays)
Check the City's site for current hours before you load up.
Option 4: Use leaves in your gardens
Shredded leaves make good free mulch for garden beds:
Spread a layer of shredded leaves over perennial beds after the ground cools.
Keep leaves a little away from tree trunks and shrub stems.
Mix leaves into compost piles with green material.
Store a few bags of dry leaves for next year's compost.
For a longer-lasting, tidier look, top up beds with bark mulch in spring.
Keep leaves out of storm drains and ditches
Leaves that wash into the street can clog catch basins, which leads to flooded intersections when the fall rains come. They also add nutrients to local creeks and the Thames River as they break down. To help:
Don't blow or rake leaves into the road or a ditch.
Clear leaves off catch basin grates on your street frontage after a heavy leaf drop, if it's safe to do so.
Keep leaf piles back from the curb so rain doesn't wash them away.
Leaf cleanup checklist
Work through this list from October to freeze-up:
Mulch light leaf layers with every mow.
Rake or blow heavy layers off lawns before they mat down.
Clean gutters and downspouts once most leaves have dropped.
Clear leaves from catch basins and drains on your property so meltwater can drain.
Bag or bundle extra leaves and branches for your Green Week.
Do a final mow at normal height once growth stops.
Do one last cleanup after the oaks drop, since they're often last.
Why fall cleanup matters for your lawn
Leaves left in a thick, wet layer over winter can:
block light and air from the grass,
hold moisture against the crowns and encourage snow mould,
smother thin areas, leaving bare patches in spring,
give voles a sheltered spot to tunnel under the snow.
A clean lawn going into winter greens up faster in spring. Our fall yard prep checklist covers more steps to take before the ground freezes. If your lawn is already thin, fall or spring is a good time to think about new sod.
Commercial properties and condos
On commercial properties, leaves are more than a looks issue. Wet leaves on walkways and parking lots are slippery, they hide curbs and potholes, and they block drains that need to handle snowmelt all winter. A final fall cleanup also makes snow plowing easier, because plows aren't pushing wet leaves into snowbanks. For properties with winter service, it makes sense to book the fall cleanup and the snow contract together.
When to hire it out
Leaf cleanup is simple but time-consuming, especially on large lots with mature maples and oaks. A professional cleanup often makes sense for:
large residential lots and estates,
seniors or anyone with limited mobility,
rental and multi-unit properties,
commercial sites where appearance and safety matter,
yards where leaves have to be hauled away rather than bagged.
SPM offers fall cleanups across London, St. Thomas, Strathroy, Komoka, Ilderton and Dorchester, often paired with final mowing and gutter checks. Learn about our property maintenance services.
FAQ
How do I put out leaves for collection in London, Ontario?
Use paper yard waste bags, reusable containers (30 to 125 L) or certified compostable bags. Plastic bags aren't accepted. Each bag, container or bundle can weigh up to 20 kg. Set it out by 7 a.m. on the Monday of your Green Week.
When is fall yard waste collection in London?
Yard waste collection runs from late March to December, on Green Weeks that vary by address. Check the City's collection calendar or the Recycle Coach app for your dates.
Can I mulch leaves into my lawn instead of bagging them?
Yes. The City of London encourages mulching leaves into the lawn. Mow over a light layer of dry leaves a few times so the pieces fall down between grass blades. Heavy layers should be raked off so they don't smother the grass.
Where can I drop off leaves in London?
The City's EnviroDepots accept yard waste for free, including branches under 10 cm in diameter. Locations include 28 Clarke Rd, 1450 Oxford St W, 21462 Clarke Rd and the W12A Landfill at 3502 Manning Dr.
Why shouldn't I leave a thick layer of leaves on my lawn over winter?
A thick, wet mat of leaves blocks light and air and holds moisture against the grass, which can lead to dead patches and snow mould in spring. A thin layer that's mulched in is fine.
Talk to SPM Landscape & Excavation
Short on time, or facing a yard full of maple leaves? Our crews handle fall cleanups for homes and commercial properties across London and area. SPM has served London and southwestern Ontario since 2006, is WSIB covered and carries $1M in liability insurance. Call (519) 474-0008, email spmlandscape@gmail.com, or visit us at 791 Manchester Rd, London, ON.
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