How to deal with your leaves

Getting a yard tends to complicate people’s feelings about fall foliage. Maybe the changing leaves once conjured a childhood of leaping into big piles or weekend drives taking in the autumn colors. Now, what you’re peeping will eventually land on your lawn and consume your weekend.

Plus, leaf cleanup has never been more fraught. Blow those leaves at the wrong time of day or with the wrong kind of equipment, and you’ll wind up with neighborhood beefs and maybe a fine, thanks to increasingly common local ordinances. So, here’s some guidance to help you choose the right leaf blower — or determine whether you really need to clean up the leaves at all.