When does leaf pickup start? Soon. When does leaf peeping start? Now!

The trees in their autumn finery somehow seem more vibrant this year. (The weekend’s glorious fall weather probably helped.)

Casey Trees’ “Fall Colors of DC” map makes it easy to identify the trees that are putting on this seasonal show.

Each dot is a single tree planted by either Casey Trees or DDOT’s Urban Forestry Division, and color-coded by type. You can click on each dot on the map for more details.

For those of us with yards, today’s colorful show is tomorrow’s chore. The DC Department of Public Works will start its leaf collection season on Monday, November 7th. That means raking the leaves into the tree boxes by the curb before the DPW crews are scheduled to arrive on your street. But, there’s an alternative.

Kathy Sykes, our neighborhood’s intrepid pollinator protector, recommends leaving the leaves in your yard. When they land on grass, they can be chewed up by a lawnmower and remain on the lawn as a free, nutrient-rich fertilizer. In garden beds and around trees, the leaves serve as mulch, and as a winter home for beneficial insects.

If you do put your rake to work, the leaves should be piled up in tree boxes between sidewalks and the curb, and not in the street. If piles of leaves are blown into the street and clog storm drains, call 311 or contact DC Water at 202-727-2000.

Here’s when to expect the DPW leaf collection crews.

Crews will be making two passes in each of the areas marked above:

In Ward 3’s area A, between Broad Branch Road and Connecticut Avenue the first leaf collection period is November 7-12, and the second is December 5-17.

In area B, between Connecticut and Massachusetts Avenues and Nebraska and Western Avenues, leaves should be raked by November 13th for pickup November 14-19. Crews will return for a second pass December 19-31.

In area C, west of Connecticut Avenue and south of Nebraska, leaves raked by November 20th are to be picked up November 21-26. The second pickup period is January 3-14.