Seasonal street sweeping in Palmerston North

Learn more about how we manage fallen leaves in the city and how you can ask us to sweep your street.

In Palmerston North, like many other cities, leaves fall primarily due to seasonal changes. As temperatures drop and daylight hours decrease, trees respond by shedding their leaves in preparation for winter. This natural process, known as abscission, typically occurs from April to June each year.

Trees shed leaves due to several factors

These include changes in temperature, daylight, and environmental conditions. During autumn, trees produce less chlorophyll, which is the green pigment responsible for photosynthesis. This leads to the gradual change in leaf colour and eventual shedding. Wind and rain also play a role in loosening leaves from branches and aiding in their descent to the ground.

We regularly sweep streets in autumn to clear falling leaves

We sweep streets to clear fallen leaves and to maintain clean and safe roadways for residents and visitors.

The frequency of sweeping varies depending on the level of need and demand. Our regular sweeping program operates on a rotational basis, with streets being swept either fortnightly, monthly, or every two months.

We sweep streets, footpaths and off street carparks in the city centre, including Te Marae o Hine, most days during these months. The frequency of cleaning is based on the level of litter and debris with some streets swept daily. All areas within the city centre are swept at least once a week.

You can request a street sweep by phoning us on 06 356 8199. Our road maintenance contractor, Fulton Hogan, will respond within 5 to 10 days if there is no upcoming planned sweeping on the requested road.