From the Desk of a Master Gardener:
We feel the need to clean up our gardens in the fall, but you should understand that removal of any viable tissue or warmer than normal weather, which causes slower re-absorption of nutrients from the dying stems and leaves can harm your shrubs and perennials.
Perennials as Wildlife and Insect Habitat
There are perennials that feed wildlife, songbirds, and insects well into fall and early winter. Some have hollow stems which offer native solitary bees refuge over winter months. These include Asclepias (Milkweed), Salvia, Heuchera, Sedums, Echinacea (Coneflowers), Rudbeckia (Black Eyed Susans), Ornamental Grasses, Peonies, Lavender, Eupatorium (Joe Pye Weed), and Hellebores. Roots of these plants feed on the energy stored in dying above-ground material until it becomes brittle in later winter. This energy makes plants healthier in the spring.
The larvae of fireflies live under the leaf duff for up to 2 years before pupating into adults. Cleaning up the duff destroys their ability to develop. Beneficial insects overwinter in garden debris as well. Our need for neatness can inhibit these helpful insects, which naturally fight pests in the spring. Lacewings, lady beetles, solitary bees, predatory beetles, and mantises all rely on leaf litter and debris to survive winter.
Sustainable Garden Practices
In my garden, to increase my layer of protective duff, I go through my garden in early March and chop my perennials with Okatsune hedge shears into 3–4-inch pieces and let it fall back into the garden as mulch. These pieces work into the soil near the mother plant, returning nutrition to that plant. It is a win and saves on mulch and fertilizer.
If I have an area in my perennial or shrub bed that is a bit off, I apply a thin layer of organic compost in late fall. This application is spread by hand lightly around the plants and allowed to sit all winter. Freezing and thawing allow the roots to absorb the nutrients in the spring.
Rethinking Leaf Removal
I do not rake my leaves as they contain nutrients that disintegrate and enrich the soil as they break down over winter. Think about it—there is no one fertilizing in wooded areas, yet the trees, shrubs, and perennials return year after year. The soil under the current year’s leaves is full of organic matter and nutrients.
Diversity in plants, allowing for a bit of debris and sanctuary for insects, keeps our gardens healthy and viable. Socially taught requirements for neatness can hinder these natural processes.
Try a Diverse Native Garden
The following photos show my perennial beds, which are only 2 years old, serving as habitat for numerous pollinators, amphibians, and small animals. My suggestion is to take a small area and try a diverse native garden, then observe what happens—you may be surprised.
Enhance Your Garden with The Mill
To help maintain healthy perennial beds, shop organic mulch and compost at The Mill for high-quality products that enrich your soil naturally.
