RALEIGH, N.C. — The City of Raleigh will resume its annual collection of loose leaves Monday and continue through Feb. 2.

Crews will make a complete sweep of Raleigh prior to Dec. 25, beginning with neighborhoods south of New Bern Avenue and rotating clockwise to other areas of Raleigh. A second sweep of the city is scheduled to begin on Jan. 2, with completion on Feb. 2.

Residents can find out exactly when leaves will be collected in their neighborhoods by calling the Raleigh Leaf Line at

919-890-3720

for a daily update or by going to the City of Raleigh's

Web site

. Notices also will also be published in local newspapers and on the city's cable channel (channel 22).

Resident should rake their loose leaves into piles at the curb, avoiding creating piles in the street, the city says. Bagged leaves and other yard waste will continue to be picked up at the curb, along with garbage and recycling, on regularly scheduled weekly collection days.

When set out on the curb for regular weekly collection, yard waste should always be placed in clear plastic bags, permanent containers or biodegradable paper yard waste bags. Yard waste also can also be tied into bundles of no more than 5 feet in length, 18 inches in diameter and 75 pounds in weight.