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Fall Landscape Sanitation
Fall is the time to manage plant diseases and harmful insects that overwinter on plant residue. After a hard freeze, remove plant material from vegetable gardens and annual flower beds. Pick up fallen fruits and vegetables that may harbor pests and diseases.
Ideally, gardeners will compost leftover stems, foliage, fruits and vegetables to enrich the soil for next year. Or bag up your yard waste and put it on the curb. For residents living in Omaha, Wasteline Omaha will provide yard waste removal between October 23 and December 1.
Do leave herbaceous perennial flower beds and ornamental grasses standing for winter interest, and to provide shelter for our stem nesting native pollinators. Migratory birds will feast on the seeds of native grasses and perennials like Rudbeckia and Echinacea. Delay cleanup of these areas until the spring, when you can chip and shred dried plant material, then return those nutrients to the soil.
Leave the leaves! Mulch leaves with your mower into the lawn. Bag and toss leftovers into your flower beds to provide protective cover for the soil and beneficial insects.
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