Cherry Hill Leaf Collection 2026: Dates, Rules, and Easy Fall Tips

Cherry Hill is at its prettiest in October, but all those maples and oaks mean one thing for homeowners: a lot of leaves. The good news is the township handles the heavy lifting. Cherry Hill Public Works runs two curbside leaf-collection rounds each fall, and knowing the dates and the ground rules for your block can save you from missed pickups, storm-drain clogs, and tickets for leaves in the street too early.

First collection round begins the week of October 20, 2026. Second round begins the week of November 24, 2026. Exact dates for your street are posted about a week ahead of pickup.

When is leaf collection in Cherry Hill in 2026?

Cherry Hill Township's Department of Public Works schedules two full rounds of curbside leaf pickup each fall. For 2026, the first round begins the week of October 20 and the second round typically begins the week of November 24. The precise day for your neighborhood depends on the collection route, and crews do not run to every street on the same day.

A week or so before pickup reaches your area, Public Works places signs in the neighborhood with your scheduled date. The township also maintains an interactive leaf collection map on its website at chnj.gov that shows the neighborhood-by-neighborhood schedule, which is the closest way to confirm your street's date as the season gets closer.

How the curbside program works

The program is simple and low-maintenance: rake your leaves into loose piles at the curb, and the crews vacuum them up with leaf machines as they work through the neighborhood. A few rules keep things running smoothly for everyone:

• Rake to the curb the day before your posted pickup date. Leaves left out too early can wash into storm drains or scatter across the street, and piles put out after the crew passes will wait for the next round.
• Keep cars off the collection street from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on your pickup day so the crews can reach the full length of the curb.
• Pile leaves loose, not bagged, for the curbside collector. Keep the pile clear of parked cars, hydrants, mailboxes, and storm drains so the vacuum machine does not have to stop and restart.
• Do not mix in branches, brush, grass, pumpkins, or trash. The leaves are collected separately from other yard waste, and contaminated piles can be passed by.

When to start watching for the schedule

With the first round starting the week of October 20, mid-October is the time to start watching for the township's posted signs on your street. The single most useful thing a Cherry Hill homeowner can do is set aside a fall Saturday early in the season to rake or blow leaves for the first pickup, then plan the second round for around Thanksgiving week. If your street falls later in the route, you can also wait for more of the canopy to drop before you rake at all.

Easy ways to make fall leaf season lighter

Not every leaf needs to end up at the curb. A little prevention and a few good habits keep the season manageable:

• Mow and mulch. Running a mulching mower over a thin layer of leaves returns nutrients to the lawn and dramatically reduces what reaches the curb. Heavy piles still go out, but the every-week layer can disappear into the grass.
• Use leaves in the garden. Shredded leaves make excellent compost and winter insulation around perennials and shrubs.
• Keep storm drains clear. A quick check of the catch basin near your yard before a heavy rain prevents neighborhood flooding and keeps the township's pipes working.
• Do your gutters first. While you are out there, clear the roof elbows and downspouts. Clogged gutters in a wet fall cause more basement and fascia damage than a cold winter ever does.

If you take care of the small stuff before heavy leaf season, the two curbside rounds from the township will handle the rest. And if you are looking at Cherry Hill homes this fall, know that well-raked curb appeal reads as a neighbor who is involved, which buyers notice when they pull up to the curb for a showing.

What about new owners?

If you are moving to Cherry Hill this fall, this is one of the first township services worth paying attention to. The leaf collection map, recycling schedule, and street cleaning notices all live in the same township portal at chnj.gov, and most new residents find it worth bookmarking in their first month. The Public Works team is reachable by phone during the season, and neighbors on most blocks are happy to tell you which week your street got picked last year.

The best way to keep on top of leaf season, the housing market, and all the local deadlines that matter is to follow the HomeCircle Cherry Hill updates. Want to talk about what living here is actually like, from yard work to schools and everything in between? Contact Bob Millaway at 856.426.1522 anytime.