Dead leaves of fall are a gardener's best friend.

Byline: RECYCLING By Pete Chism For The Register-Guard

Flying pig skins, shrinking daylight and flourishing fungus are a few signs that the fall season is upon us.

While fall has most of us humming, `All the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray,' `California Dreamin' ' is the last thing on the mind of a serious gardener as plans are made for next years' crop.

One of the most important gardening issues in the fall is the replenishment of the soil before the rain.

As leaves cling to their metaphorical golden years, a good gardener is waiting below to put to use all the beneficial secrets that dead leaves hold.

Leaves, moisture, air and an army of bacteria, fungus, mold, red worms, mites, springtails, centipedes, pill bugs and earthworms produce natures' fertilizer: compost.

Leaves make excellent compost, but don't just take my word for it. According to `The Rodale Book of Composting,' leaves provide the following benefits:

Pound for pound, leaves contain twice the mineral content as manure.

Leaves improve the aeration and structure of the soil.

Leaves retain water at a rate of 300 to 500 percent by weight.

A good compost mixture contains 30 parts carbon (leaves, paper, hay) to one part nitrogen (manure, food waste, grass). Mixing materials of different sizes and textures provides a well-drained and well-aerated compost pile.

For faster results in composting your leaves, create more surface area for all the little critters to chow down on. Try using a lawn mower to shred leaves on a hard surface, such as a driveway, then sweep the pieces up and compost away.

Composting isn't the only game in town when it comes to uses for leaves. Mulching is also a great way to prepare a garden bed for the spring. Good mulch can be created with leaves as well as with wood chips, lawn clippings, compost, sawdust and manure.

If you've got more leaves than your yard can handle, it's likely your local municipality will be coordinating a leaf collection in your area.

Here are some tips for leaf collections:

Scrape leaves away from storm drains.

Remove leaves from sidewalks.

Avoid putting leaves in bike lanes.

Place your leaves so they do not obstruct the flow of traffic.

Don't mix branches, rocks, or lawn clippings in with leaves.

Wait to put leaves out until just before the scheduled pickup in your area.

The following is more specific area information about leaf collection:

Lane County: Lane County Public Works collects leaves from November to January in the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara/River Road in Eugene and some areas of Springfield. Phone: [phone]. Web: www.lanecounty.org/pw.

Eugene: Leaves can be included in yard debris roll carts. The city of Eugene Public Works Department also picks up your leaves. Phone: [phone]. Web: www.eugene-or.gov.

Springfield: Information about leaf collection in Springfield has not been released. Phone: [phone]. Web: www.sanipac.com.

Cottage Grove: Information about leaf collection in Cottage Grove has not been released. Phone: [phone]. Web: www.cottagegrove.org.

Florence: Free yard debris drop-off day, Oct. 15, at the Florence Municipal Airport at the 27th St. entrance west, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Acceptable items: yard debris (tree, plant, lawn materials). Phone: [phone]. Web: www.ci.florence.or.us.

Veneta: Place leaves in yard debris roll cart. Carts will be emptied weekly starting Nov. 1. You can also bag leaves in large, plastic bags, tie the bags and place them on the curb, not in the street. The city's public works crew will pick up the bags. Phone: [phone]. Web: www.ci.veneta.or.us.

Junction City: Leaf pickup from November to January is the only time that any material or item may be placed in the street. Leaves will be picked up during that time if placed 12 inches from the curb. Do not bag leaves. Phone: [phone]. Web: www.ci.junction-city .or.us.

Creswell: Citizens are responsible for leaf collection from trees that abut their property along or in the streets. Bagged leaves only. Collection goes from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31. Phone: [phone]. Web: www .ci.creswell.or.us.

This column is provided by Lane County Recycling. Pete Chism is a waste reduction specialist with Lane County Waste Management.