STOP!!!! Don't "clean" that garden up
It's fall: bonfires, pumpkin-spiced everything, and hooded sweatshirts abound. You can finally walk around outside and not be eaten alive by mosquitoes. Traditional gardeners are cleaning out their garden beds, chopping stems and raking leaves. Makes me want to scream: STOP IT DON'T DO IT. Here's why:
1. FOOD: Birds are eating the ripening seeds. Ever seen a goldfinch balancing on prairie plant seed heads? Not only is it really cool to watch, but those seeds are providing a valuable food source. The seeds will continue to provide food for birds and mammals throughout the winter, both on the plant itself as well as fallen on the ground.
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Goldfinch on echinacea seedhead |
2. SHELTER: So many species of insects will overwinter in and around the dormant plants, from the top layer of soil to the leaf litter to the stems themselves. Don't cut that stem down, a mason bee could be sheltering inside! Leave your leaf litter, there could be overwintering larvae, like the ever-popular woolly bear caterpillars!
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Mason bees nest in plant stems, as well as overwinter in the adult form |
So step back and enjoy the beauty of your native plantings, and feel good knowing that you're providing valuable habitat for the harsh upcoming winter!
REMINDER: TLC's Seed Sharing Day is Saturday, 10/22 from 10am-2pm!
Want to collect native seed for your prairie or savanna restoration? This is the event for you!
Where: Rural Alden/Harvard area (you will be notified of location once you've RSVP'd)
How:
- 10am: Everyone checks in and is sent to a nearby privately owned property to collect seed. Not sure how? No problem! We'll help you out.
- 12pm: Regroup at central gathering place for more pre-collected seed to add to our mix
- Potluck time! Followed by a Q&A discussion to share our experiences
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