It’s time to put your garden to bed for winter. Whether you take care of your property by yourself or use a landscape service, you need to make sure you look out for the valuable resources nature provides when you do your fall cleanup.

 

By The Rye Garden Club Conservation Committee

 

It’s time to put your garden to bed for winter. Whether you take care of your property by yourself or use a landscape service, you need to make sure you look out for the valuable resources nature provides when you do your fall cleanup. 

 

Leaves are free fertilizer and protection for your plants. Don’t blow them all away! Save your leaves and use them on your property and you will not only save time and money but will also help the City of Rye save on transportation and dumping costs. Rather than blowing all the leaves off the grass, allow some to lay where they fall and ask your landscaper to mow over them. This will allow the leaves to become compost that can be left in the grass to provide nutrients and protection for your lawn through the winter. From your beds and hard surfaces, or if you have a large amount of leaves on your lawn, shred leaves with a leaf shredder or mower, then rake them into a pile and leave them to decompose naturally.

 

It will take about a year for the leaves to fully break down into compost. Shredded leaves can be reapplied to garden beds to insulate hibernating plants through the winter. Plantings will help to keep the leaves in place. The leaves will break down and leach good nutrients into the soil, feeding your plants and protecting them from harsh winter conditions.

 

Beneficial animals such as ladybugs, spiders, bats, toads, birds, and snakes need a place to stay for winter so they can help take care of your property when the growing season returns. While many people dislike bugs, having them around is an important step in maintaining a healthy yard. Good bugs keep the bad bugs at bay, and they naturally control the pests and disease that weaken plants. Providing shelter for birds, toads, and snakes for winter is also important. These animals will keep insects under control and the environment in balance.

 

Leaving leaves on the ground and untouched in areas of your property will provide a good place for these good animals to hibernate through the winter. Leave some perennials standing in your garden beds and they too will provide homes for over-wintering insects. Seed heads on flowers such as coneflowers, sunflowers, and latria provide food for winter birds. Migrating birds will come visit you in spring to dine on the bugs you have allowed to live through winter. These birds will help pollinate your plants, contributing to the beauty and health of your yard.

 

Less is more with fall cleanup! A pristine property is not a healthy property. Allow for nature to do its thing, and you will have a healthier yard.