How to Clean a Fall Garden Without Disturbing Beneficial Insects

26.09.2024 - 21:13 / balconygardenweb.com / Ralph Astley

Your garden may seem ripe for a clean-up in fall, with piles of dried-up foliage all around. But stop and think of the many helpful bugs and creatures that shelter in autumn’s debris to face winter! If you do, we show you how to clean your fall garden without disturbing these beneficial insects.

Bees, butterflies, and helpful predators like ladybugs and ground beetles find safe spaces in fall debris to overwinter. Fallen foliage is also nature’s way of keeping soil healthy, storing away carbon, and keeping your garden alive!

So, if you can leave your garden intact with autumn residue, that’s the best thing to do. But if you need to clear up to prevent fire risk or deter snakes and poisonous critters from inhabiting where people and pets frequent, here’s what you do.

While you may be tempted to remove all dead plants and debris from the garden, we recommend leaving mounds in different spots that you won’t frequent to shelter insects undisturbed.

Hollow plant stems, fallen leaves, broken twigs and branches, and dried grasses offer hiding spots for tiny creatures to hibernate and save their lives.

Raking helps to keep your garden neat, but too much raking can disturb beneficial bugs hiding in the soil or under the leaves. Many useful insects, such as beetles and spiders, find refuge in leaf litter. Instead of raking the entire garden, only focus on pathways or areas where you need clear space.

Spare the leaves on your flower beds or around trees. The layer will protect the soil and provide a habitat for insects.

Mulch is an effective insulator for plants and microorganisms living beneath the soil. Leave it be during autumn to protect plants and insects from extreme weather changes, frost, winds, and fluctuations. It also helps