In Carmarthenshire most trees drop their leaves from mid October to early December. The big oaks and beeches are often last, so one clear in late October rarely does the job.
Why clear leaves at all?
- Lawns: a thick, wet layer of leaves blocks light and holds moisture against the grass, which is a common cause of yellow patches and moss by spring.
- Paths and steps: wet leaves are slippery, especially for older relatives and visitors.
- Drains: leaves wash into gullies and channels and block them, which causes puddling and overflow in heavy rain.
When to clear them
Little and often beats one big clear. Two or three clears a few weeks apart, from late October into December, keeps the lawn healthy and stops the job getting out of hand.
What to do with them
- Make leaf mould. Bag them in a bin bag with a few holes, or a wire cage, and leave for a year or two. It makes a brilliant soil improver.
- Leave some in borders. A light layer under shrubs helps insects and hedgehogs overwinter.
- Council garden bin. Carmarthenshire's garden waste service takes leaves, at £60.60 a year for 2026 for a 240 litre bin collected fortnightly for part of the year. In a big leaf drop, one bin fills fast. See the council's garden waste page.
Leave gutter clearing to a specialist with the right access kit. Ground-level drains and gullies are fine to clear yourself, or we'll do them as part of a leaf clear.
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If you'd rather not spend your weekends raking, our leaf clearance service covers Kidwelly, Llanelli, Burry Port, Carmarthen and the villages in between.
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