If the leaves in your yard have started to pile up, the City of Fort Wayne has already posted its 2026 collection schedule.

Beginning Monday, Nov. 2, the Street Department will collect leaves in the city's more than 400 neighborhoods.

This year's program runs through Dec. 19, though weather or heavy leaf volume may shift the plan slightly.

Here is a plain-language look at what to know before the crews arrive.

The schedule

Collection happens in two rounds, moving through the north, central and south neighborhoods in turn.

North neighborhoods are first, with Round 1 on Nov. 2 through 7 and Round 2 on Nov. 30 through Dec. 5.

Central neighborhoods follow, with Round 1 on Nov. 9 through 14 and Round 2 on Dec. 7 through 12.

South neighborhoods wrap up each round, with Round 1 on Nov. 16 through 21 and Round 2 on Dec. 14 through 19.

Not sure which area you are in?

In past years, WANE described the central area as roughly the neighborhoods between Coliseum and Rudisill boulevards, and the city's collection map is the best way to confirm yours.

Crews will work on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, but there is no collection on Nov. 26 or 27 for Thanksgiving.

How to prepare

Rake leaves to the curb or park strip in front of your home, not into the street.

Leaves should be in the pickup area by 7 a.m. on the Monday of your collection week.

Please do not put leaves in your trash or recycling cart, which the city notes is against Indiana law.

Burning leaves is also against city code and can result in a fine.

Keep leaves out of the street and out of storm drains, as the city asks.

Parents are asked to remind children not to play in leaf piles near the street, for their own safety and so drivers can see them.

Prefer bags? Schedule your own pickup

If you would rather choose your timing, place leaves in brown paper biodegradable leaf bags and set them at the curb.

Then call 311 to schedule a pickup, and the bags will be collected within two business days.

This bagged service is offered only during leaf season.

If a Nov. 2 start feels too late for your yard, the bag system is the way to get your leaves picked up sooner.

Last spring, the city also ran a brown-bag collection from March 23 through April 3, so the bags can be handy beyond fall.

Staying up to date

The city posts daily updates before 3 p.m. listing which neighborhood crews will visit the next day.

You can also call the Leaf Hotline at 260-427-2302 for a recorded update, or dial 311 with questions.

Schedules do shift: last December, the city announced that crews would return to the central neighborhoods on Dec. 16 to finish the first round of collection.

If you are calling from outside Allen County, the city's general information line is 260-427-8311.

Remember that the dates are plans rather than promises, because weather and leaf volume can change the timing.

For trash and recycling questions, the city's Solid Waste page has details.

Planning ahead can save you a second trip to the curb, especially if you have a large yard or many trees.

A little raking ahead of time helps crews move quickly through your neighborhood.