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The leaves are coming down, and Turlock’s seasonal pickup starts Monday, November 2. Before dragging a pile toward the street, check two things: whether your green cart has room and which collection zone includes your house.
The city lists the 2026-2027 season as November 2 through February 5. That does not mean every street gets a visit on opening day. The zone map assigns different dates around town, and the weekly garbage route follows its own schedule.
How to Put Leaves Out for Pickup
The city’s leaf-pickup instructions say to use the green waste cart first. For leaves that will not fit:
- Leave them loose. Do not bag the street pile.
- Keep it leaves only. Wood and branches mixed into the pile mean it will not be collected.
- Leave an 18-inch gap from the curb. Keep the gutter clear so water can drain.
- Leave access for the crew. Avoid blocking the pile with parked vehicles the day before, the day of and the day after collection. Keep garbage carts separate from the leaves.
Find Your Zone Before Planning a Yard-Cleanup Day
Open the official 2026-2027 leaf-pickup map and route dates. Find your street, identify its numbered zone, then read the matching dates beside the map. Zoom in far enough to see the boundary near your address; a nearby major road can separate zones.
Save all of your zone’s dates, not just its first visit. A screenshot of the dated route list is handy when planning another round of raking later in the season. If your house appears close to a boundary, ask the city to confirm the zone before relying on a neighbor’s schedule.
Your Weekly Garbage Pickup Is a Different Schedule
The seasonal street-pile service and regular cart collection are separate. Turlock Scavenger’s residential service includes garbage, recycling and green waste. A leaf-zone date does not replace the normal day for those carts.
For regular collection, the city’s cart-placement rules say to have carts out by 5 a.m., with at least two feet between them and six feet from parked vehicles. Do not overfill a cart. Those are cart instructions; the leaf-pickup map supplies the dates for the loose street pile.
If a gardener helps with your yard, share the leaf date and placement instructions before the work starts. Make clear which material belongs in the cart and which loose pile is meant for city pickup. That saves having to untangle leaves from a heap of pruned branches afterward.
The First Pickup Dates by Zone
- Zones 1 and 2: Monday, November 2.
- Zones 3 and 4: Tuesday, November 3.
- Zones 5 and 6: Wednesday, November 4.
- Zones 7 and 8: Thursday, November 5.
- Zones 9 and 10: Monday, November 9.
- Zones 11 and 12: Tuesday, November 10.
These are the opening visits in the city’s published route list, not every pickup for the season. Follow the zone’s dated entries rather than assuming a recurring weekday.
Who to Call With a Pickup Question
For the city leaf program or an uncertain zone, call 209-668-5594. For a regular garbage or green-cart service issue, Turlock Scavenger lists 209-668-7274. Have the service address, usual collection day and the type of material ready so the right crew or office can help.
How Do You Handle the Fall Leaf Pile?
Do you rake as leaves fall or wait until the tree is nearly bare? Compare notes with neighbors on our Facebook post.
For other household-service questions, our Help & Local Services directory connects utilities, problem reporting and disposal resources. A lifted sidewalk is a separate issue from fallen leaves; our sidewalk-repair guide explains the city’s assistance program.
