Fall cleanup and town leaf pickup in Rockland and Bergen

What a fall cleanup includes

A full fall cleanup covers the lawn, the beds, and the hard surfaces. On the lawn that means removing leaves, sticks, and fallen debris so the grass is not smothered over the winter. In the beds it means pulling leaves out from around shrubs, pulling weeds, and cutting back perennials that will not hold up through winter.

We also blow off patios, walkways, and driveways, clear leaves out of window wells, and clear downspout outlets and splash blocks at ground level so roof water can drain away from the house. We do not clean gutters. Gutter cleaning is not part of our work, so that needs a separate contractor.

The last pass is the final mow. After that the leaves are either removed from the property or set out at the curb in the way your town requires. Which of those happens is part of the written scope.

Leaves come off the lawn with backpack and walk-behind blowers, rakes, and tarps, and off the beds by hand and with blowers on low so mulch stays in place. Wet, matted leaves take longer than dry ones, so we schedule around rain when we can. Leaves left on the lawn through winter block light and hold moisture on the grass, which leads to thin, matted patches in spring.

Cutting back perennials and bed cleanup

Most soft perennials, such as hostas, daylilies, and peonies, get cut back to a few inches above the ground once the foliage has died back. Leaving that dead foliage in place over winter gives slugs and fungal disease a place to overwinter, and peony foliage in particular is best removed.

Some plants are better left standing. Ornamental grasses, coneflowers, and sedum hold their shape in winter, and many people leave them for the look and for the birds that feed on the seed heads. We cut those back in the spring cleanup instead. Tell us your preference during the walk-through.

Shrubs get a light cleanup only. Heavy pruning in late fall can push new growth that will not harden off before a freeze, and spring-flowering shrubs such as lilac, forsythia, and azalea have already set next year's buds, so cutting them now removes the flowers.

Annuals that have been killed by frost come out in the fall cleanup, along with spent vegetables and tomato cages if you have a garden. Removing them now keeps the beds clean through winter and saves a step in spring.

The final mow and timing

The final mow happens once the grass has essentially stopped growing for the year. Rutgers Cooperative Extension recommends mowing cool-season lawns at 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches and warns that cutting below 2 inches weakens turf and invites pest problems. For the last mow we bring the height down slightly within that range, not below 2 inches, so the grass is not matted under snow.

In Rockland and Bergen, most fall cleanups happen from late October to early December. Oaks drop late, often into late November, so properties with large oaks may need a second visit. One visit after most leaves are down works for many yards, and two visits keep heavy leaf cover from sitting on the lawn for weeks.

Book early. Cleanup schedules fill in late October, and town leaf pickup deadlines do not move for late cleanups. See the seasonal yard checklist for the rest of the fall list.

Leaf pickup in Clarkstown and Orangetown

The Town of Clarkstown runs a curbside leaf program for town residents, except in the Villages of Spring Valley and Upper Nyack. Leaves can be set out loose or in biodegradable bags, on the lawn or at the curb, but not in the street, at intersections, at bus stops, near fire hydrants, or over storm drains. Plastic bags are not accepted. Crews work through 3 areas with 20 routes each, and the town posts a daily updated route map. Free biodegradable bags are available at town offices. Yard waste pickup of brush, twigs, and branches is suspended during leaf season.

The Town of Orangetown runs a Fall Leaf Pick-Up Program that is for leaves only. In 2025 it began on November 3. Leaves are piled on the lawn within the first ten feet of the property, and the town says not to pile leaves on the paved road, which is against town code and the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law. There is one final pickup after the December 1 deadline, and once the vacuum equipment has cleared your street after that date, all leaves must be bagged in biodegradable paper bags. No plastic bags. Free bags are available at the Highway Department and Town Hall.

In both towns, brush, twigs, and branches do not go in the leaf piles. Keep them separate so the pile gets picked up.

Leaf pickup in Ramapo

The Town of Ramapo code for the unincorporated town says leaves are placed at the street curb and must be bagged in biodegradable brown paper bags. Grass clippings also go in brown paper bags. Brush, branches, and trees are cut into sections no more than four feet long and tied in bundles of no more than 60 pounds.

The town's leaf definition excludes twigs, stems, and branches, so keep those out of the bags. This code covers the unincorporated town. Incorporated villages inside Ramapo can have their own rules, so residents of a village should check with the village.

Because Ramapo requires bagging, leaf volume matters more there. A large lot can produce dozens of bags, so we discuss during the estimate whether the leaves will be bagged at the curb or hauled off as part of the cleanup.

Leaf pickup in Ridgewood and Mahwah

The Village of Ridgewood runs a leaf season from about the second week of October through early December. Each area of the village gets a set of placement dates on an annual leaf flyer, and crews collect after each set of dates. Loose leaves go at the curb line, in the street, and bagged leaves go on the curb. Leaves may not be placed within 10 feet of a storm drain or block a fire hydrant, and plastic bags are not allowed. Brush, branches, twigs, pumpkins, hay bales, stones, and dirt are not collected with leaves. The flyer asks residents to share their area schedule with their landscaper.

Mahwah Township collects leaves at the curb, not in the road. Leaves in plastic bags are not picked up, and brush, branches, and stones mixed in with the leaves will cause the pile to be skipped. The township posts first and last curb placement dates each year, and the schedule on its current page lists October 26 as the first day and December 7 as the last day to put leaves at the curb.

Dates change every year and depend on the weather, so check your town or village website before you set leaves out. We set leaves out to match your town's rules and dates, and in Bergen County we work fully insured. See seasonal and specialty services for cleanup scheduling.

Questions