Dakota Gardener: Hold Off On The Clean-Up

The extended summer with temperatures near 80 degrees Fahrenheit in recent weeks has been great, as a few more of my tomatoes, peppers and pumpkins ripened. Unfortunately, winter isn't that far away. Like most gardeners, there is a list of tasks I need to complete before the first snowflakes fall.

One of the tasks not on my to-do list is plant clean-up. I won't remove any plant debris (leaves and stems) from my flowerbeds and lawn this fall. This includes leaves from my trees, perennials and even annual flowers.

You may think this is madness, leaving leaves where they lay. I thought so too when I first started the practice a few years ago. I assure you there are a few very good reasons to leave plant debris in your landscape.

Leaving plant debris over winter will provide cover for beneficial overwintering wildlife. For example, amphibians like toads and frogs benefit from the additional insulation of leaves over the ground, helping them to survive cold winters. Native insects like bees also rely on leaf cover or nest in hollow stems to survive winter. Dried seeds heads, berries and plant debris will provide food and cover for overwintering birds. The extra cover also helps collect snow, providing extra winter insulation and some moisture in the spring.

Fallen leaves from trees can also provide cover and habitat for beneficial wildlife. If you have a lot of leaves in your lawn, you can use them as mulch in your flowerbeds, use them in compost, leave some where they fall or chop them up with your lawn mower. Only a thick layer of leaves will smother lawns and cause problems next spring.

Leaving plant debris in place over time will improve soil health. Organisms that live in the soil use plant debris as a food source. They break down the material through various processes and the additional organic matter improves the soil's physical and chemical properties. Resulting in improved nutrient cycling (needing less synthetic fertilizer) and improved soil structure.

There are always exceptions to the rules. If you had insect pests or disease issues this year, a good cleanup is in order. For example, I will clean up a couple of my peony plants as they had some leaf blotch disease. Likewise, to prevent any disease or insect issues in my vegetable gardens, I do remove and compost my disease-free plant debris.

If you prefer to remove your plant debris, find a place out of the way on your property to make small piles. This will also provide habitat for overwintering wildlife. Next spring, wait to remove debris from your landscape until nighttime temperatures are consistently in the 50s to give time for the overwintering wildlife time to emerge.

I love the ability to be a "relaxed" gardener and let the snow cover everything. Don't get me wrong, sometimes it is hard to leave things "messy" for the winter, but I know it is better for my backyard ecosystem if I just enjoy the disorder. Happy gardening!