If blowing and raking leaves into piles to have your a city service pick up or have them taken out to a local landfill is too much of a hassle, a local University of Illinois horticulture expert has a few tips on how to deal with the fallen leaves.

Master Gardner Candice Hart at the University of Illinois Extension office says leaves can make a great compost starter. As you get those gardens cleaned up, she recommends mixing those remains with some leaves.

If composting isn't your thing and you just want to mow over those leaves, that is an option too. Hart indicates those mulched up leaves can provide good nutrients for your lawn.

If you'd like to start a compost pile this winter and need more tips getting it going, visit extension.illinois.edu for materials and publications or find your local University of Illinois Extension Office and contact their master gardener.