If you have lived in Raleigh for a while, you know the drill every fall: rake your leaves to the curb, wait for the city’s leaf collection crews to come through with the big vacuum trucks, and repeat until the trees are bare. That system is going away.
The City of Raleigh has confirmed that fall 2025 was the final season of traditional loose-leaf collection. Starting September 8, 2026, the city is switching to a weekly yard waste cart pickup program, permanently replacing the old seasonal leaf-vacuum service. If you are a Raleigh resident trying to figure out what this means for your yard this year, here is a breakdown of the change, your options, and an easier way to handle it all.
What’s Actually Changing
For decades, Raleigh’s Solid Waste Services ran a seasonal loose-leaf collection program: residents raked leaves into piles at the curb, and city crews drove specialized vacuum trucks through neighborhoods a few times each fall to collect them. The city says it’s retiring that system because it’s inconsistent — leaf pickup dates vary widely by zone, piles sit at the curb for weeks, and loose leaves frequently wash into storm drains, contributing to street flooding and water quality issues.
In its place, Raleigh is rolling out weekly yard waste collection using carts, matching the reliability of regular trash and recycling pickup. According to the city, the goal is “more consistent, reliable service” and cleaner streets with less debris ending up in storm drains.
Your Leaf Disposal Options This Season
Until the new weekly program launches, Raleigh residents have three official ways to deal with fallen leaves:
- Bin It — Place leaves directly in your yard waste cart, or order an additional cart from the city if you need more capacity.
- Bag It — Use biodegradable paper yard waste bags (up to 15 per collection) if you have more leaves than your cart can hold.
- Leave It — Skip collection altogether by mulching leaves into your lawn or raking them into garden beds, which returns nutrients to the soil.
The catch: raking, bagging, and hauling leaves to the curb every week (or waiting on a truck that may or may not show up on schedule) is a lot of ongoing work for homeowners who would rather spend their fall weekends doing something else.
A Simpler Way to Handle Leaf Season
That’s where we come in. At Edison Landscaping, we are helping Raleigh homeowners skip the hassle of the city’s changing leaf program with dedicated leaf pickup services built around how the new system actually works.
We offer two ways to get started:
- One-time leaf pickups — Perfect if you just need your leaves hauled away and disposed of.
- Seasonal subscription plans — Add recurring leaf removal to your landscape maintenance plan, so leaves are handled automatically all fall long without you tracking bags or city pickup dates. This option is available only as an add on to full service landscape maintenance subscriptions. You can learn more about our offerings on our Landscape Maintenance page.
Why Now Is the Time to Plan Ahead
With Raleigh’s program in transition through 2026, leaf pickup schedules and truck routes may be less predictable than usual during this final season. Homeowners who set up a leaf removal plan now avoid the guesswork entirely — and get a head start on next year, when weekly cart service becomes the only city option and cart capacity may not be enough for larger properties with heavy leaf drop.
Get Your Yard Handled This Fall
Whether you need one cleanup before the holidays or want leaf removal handled automatically all season, Edison Landscaping can build a plan around your property.
Contact us today to get a quote, and check out our full landscaping solutions page to see everything else we offer to keep your yard looking its best year-round.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Raleigh’s loose-leaf collection end? Fall 2025 is the final season for the city’s traditional loose-leaf vacuum collection.
When does the new leaf/yard waste program start? Weekly yard waste cart collection begins September 8, 2026, replacing seasonal loose-leaf pickup citywide.
Do I still need to rake my leaves to the curb this year? Yes — during this final season, residents can still use the traditional bin it, bag it, or leave it options.
What if I don’t want to deal with bagging or timing curb pickup? Edison Landscaping offers leaf haul away and disposal services so you don’t have to manage bags, carts, or city schedules yourself. Contact us to get started.