Now that Halloween is over, you might have a slightly soggy jack-o'-lantern sitting on your porch. And that’s on top of that beautiful autumn foliage that may be starting to pile up.
Don’t throw it all away just yet — there’s a better way to get rid of your decomposing decorations. Check out these pro tips on what to do with your seasonal yard waste this time of year.
Pumpkins
Did you know that you can place carved or whole pumpkins in your gray yard waste cart? Yep, Live Green Lexington is reminding us that the city can collect unpainted pumpkins to be mulched.
Raw pumpkins can also be used as part of your compost. If you don’t have a compost just yet, start here, keep an eye out for Live Green Lexington’s workshops to roll out in 2025, or reach out to Tree House Compost.
Speaking of compost, we’re moving onto the brown matter... leaves.
Fall foliage
Here are a few different ways to remove leaves from your property. But let’s refresh on some key tools, tips + dates:
- You can place leaves + other yard waste — such as sticks, branches, plant clippings, and grass — in your gray yard waste cart year-round.
- Have more than can fit in the cart? Put them in a paper yard waste bag. Residents should have received coupons for their free paper yard waste bags via postcard + in the At Your Service newsletter. Here’s where you can redeem them.
- Do not put yard waste in plastic bags as it will be treated like trash.
- Help your back, and your sanity, by using a free leaf chute provided by the city.
- Don’t freak out if you see your bags still around after cart pick-up — separate trucks might be divvying up the job.
Plan ahead: Gray yard waste carts will not be picked up Thanksgiving Week. Instead, place your yard waste bags out to be picked up.
