The city is scheduled to conclude its fall leaf collection on Friday, Dec. 20, with crews completing the second of two rounds of vacuuming leaves from neighborhood curbs.
An interactive map at www.rockvillemd.gov/leafcollection allows residents to input their address and learn when their leaves will be collected.
Rake leaves next to, but out of, roadways, gutters and bike lanes, and away from parked vehicles. Leaves should be raked by 6 a.m. on the first day of their collection period, but no earlier than one week before the collection dates to avoid grass damage or fire hazards. Remove sticks and other objects from leaf piles. Avoid parking near leaf piles or other vehicles.
After the collection period ends, use biodegradable paper lawn bags or 32-gallon trash cans (without plastic garbage bags) to set leaves out on your recycling and trash collection day, or consider composting. Other environmentally friendly alternatives to raking include leaving some leaves where they fall or using them as mulch in garden beds, where they provide natural habitat for beneficial insects. Mowing over leaves can break them into tiny pieces that filter into the grass, providing much-needed nutrients.