As the summer winds down, our gardening chores turn to the dual tasks of both cleaning up the garden and preparing for fall planting.
As you work through seasonal chores, there are a few things we can do in our own gardens which help wildlife prepare for winter, too.
Fall Clean Up:
When we think of fall cleanup, we all think of falling leaves. Just google fall cleanup, and you will get a plethora of pictures of leaves with rakes or blowers.
We all want to have a neat and tidy yard and garden. Clearing out the fallen leaves is a common piece of the chores for fall. However there are many beneficial insects such as butterflies, queen bees, caterpillars and lightning bugs which overwinter in the leaf layer and under logs.
You can use your fallen leaves as mulch in your garden beds to create a nutritious layer for your plants, and also provide excellent habitat for overwintering beneficials. The leaves not only retain moisture for your planting beds and trees, but they also improve the soil as they break down. And the habitat they create for insects will hasten the decomposition of the leaves and further improve the soil with frass (insect poop), which increases the microbes that nourish your soil.
We all know that bumblebee populations are in decline around the world. But did you know that most bumblebee Queens overwinter under layers of brush or leaves, just below the surface of the soil? Even ladybugs and lacewings, the most prolific predators of aphids, hibernate under leaves and rocks. Make sure you give these good guys a place to stay in your yard!
What can you do? Use a rake instead of a blower. Do not shred the leaves. Rake the leaves from your walkways or lawns to a spot under trees or around overwintering plants in your garden. Leaf layers 3-6 inches deep are best. You can also put a layer of leaves on top of your raised beds if you’re not planning a winter garden. Read for more information on Protecting pollinators when doing fall cleanup.
New Plantings
Here in the west, fall is a great time to plant landscape trees and bushes. The extra rain we get through the winter months really help those bigger species get off to a good start.
If you are thinking about putting in landscape trees or bushes as a part of your fall gardening plan, think about getting plant species which have lots of nuts and seeds. Squirrels, chipmunks and birds such as jays and woodpeckers all collect and cache food for the winter.
What can you do? If you are putting in plants this fall, consider providing some high protein and fat nutrition for generations of wildlife. Some examples might be native oaks and birches (our chickadees love the birches!). Fall plantings can also include late summer flowers that go to seed such as sunflowers.
Feeding Migratory Birds
Many bird species head south to warmer temperatures and more abundant food for the winter. Migratory birds need fuel in the form of seeds, berries, and insects so make sure you have plenty in your yard. It is a myth that keeping feeders up in the fall would discourage birds from migrating.
The most significant factor which triggers a bird to want to migrate is sunlight and the length of day. However there is now increasing data on how a bird’s diet also affects migration. Insectivores will migrate as soon as the “Insect abundance” fades in late summer. But birds that have a mixed diet of seeds, fruit and insects have the luxury of waiting until there are good weather patterns, because they can shift from insects to seeds.
In addition to feeding the birds that are already here, it is beneficial to also help out the birds already migrating, or those coming from further North. Hummingbirds east of the Rockies especially rely on nectar because they may need to stop for an extra sip of energy before being able to complete those long journeys.
What can you do? First of all, plant landscape plantings with nuts and berries whenever possible. Try to add fall blooming plants to your garden to create beautiful fall color while making sure late migratory birds have habitat. And if you have feeders, make sure to keep nectar out through the fall, and add more high protein / high fat suet and sunflower seeds to your seed feeders.
Happy Fall!
