I’m doing it (rather not doing it) for Science!

On a long enough time line the leaves will turn back into dirt…I mean if I don’t rake them. I wonder how long that would take. Its not to late for me to become a kind of lay scientist. So far the leaves have survived under a blanket of snow for several months. Now, the leaves must stare across the street at the sign that informs passersby that a paid service has removed all the leaves. Maybe the fear will cause them to evaporate faster?