Skip your fall garden cleanup and create a winter sanctuary

October 15, 2024| Education, Environment

By: Marty and Laurie Kane

Many homeowners and gardeners cut gardens down in the fall after frost to give the yard a clean look. However, just as the type of plants we are growing has changed so have best practices to prepare gardens for winter. The concept of leaving plant material in the garden over winter rather than removing dead plant leaves, stems, and seed heads is gaining in popularity.

Native flowers, grass, shrubs, and trees help wildlife year-round. Waiting until spring to cut plants back supports the environment in several ways. Native plants provide beneficial insects with a place to overwinter. Some, such as mason bees, nest in hollow stems. Others, like Luna moths, hibernate under leaf litter. Stripping all plant material from our gardens removes crucial habitat for many native insects. Similarly, native flower seed heads persist through the winter and are an important food source for non-migratory birds. Letting the garden remain as is over winter also helps insulate and protect plant roots from freezing temperatures. In addition, decomposing leaves add nutrients to the soil and provide cover for wildlife. Finally, stalks, seed heads, and grasses can look dramatic under a layer of snow, adding visual interest to the wintery landscape

As gardening season winds down, perhaps consider doing less work this fall and getting a bigger gain for your garden and the environment. Remove leaves from the lawn but allow those in garden beds to remain until spring. You can also remove untidy, bare stems while keeping those with leaves or seed heads. Shrubs should not be pruned in the fall. Instead, the general rule is to prune in late winter or early spring when they are dormant, in order to stimulate new growth in the spring.

Enjoy your garden – year-round!