Florence's annual curbside leaf pickup begins Monday, Oct. 19, and the city wants piles at the curb before crews roll through each neighborhood.
The 2026 Leaf Collection Program runs through Thursday, Dec. 17, according to an announcement by City Clerk Melissa Kramer posted on the city's website Oct. 6. Crews will work neighborhood by neighborhood on a rotating schedule over the nine-week window.
Last year's program collected 142 tons of leaves, more than 25,000 cubic feet, across 81 loads. The city composted or repurposed all of it as fertilizer.
What residents need to do
Leaves must be raked into a row behind the curb, no more than four feet from the street. Piles need to be free of branches, plants and trash. Everything must be curbside by 7 a.m. on the scheduled pickup day.
The city will post signs at subdivision and street entrances one week before crews arrive. Each neighborhood has its own pickup dates listed in a downloadable schedule booklet at florence-ky.gov.
Residents who can't find their dates can call the Florence Public Services Department at (859) 647-5416.
Free compost for gardens
The composting doesn't just keep leaves out of landfills. Residents who want the finished product for their own gardens can call the same number to arrange pickup, according to the city.
A program with staying power
The leaf collection program has run on a similar schedule for at least three years. Mayor Aubuchon announced the 2025 program at the Oct. 14, 2025 city council business meeting, according to council minutes. That year's collection ran Oct. 20 through Dec. 18.
The 2024 program followed the same pattern, running Oct. 21 through Dec. 19 after the mayor's announcement at the Oct. 8, 2024 business meeting.
This year's window starts two days earlier than last year's.
Upcoming Florence dates
- Oct. 8: Blood drive at Florence Government Center
- Oct. 19: Leaf collection begins citywide
- Dec. 17: Final day of leaf collection
