It’s leaf season once again. Queue the symphony of gas-powered equipment erupting in every neighbourhood. There seems to be an unexplained urgency to clear off that carpet of lush, green turf, as if important guests are coming over for dinner and the yard must be tidied before anyone comes knocking. Bonus points if there’s time to roll out a red carpet. Finding the time for doing this annual chore can be a chore in itself. There’s almost a sense of panic trying to figure out the seasonal weather patterns from damp and cold to sunny and blustery while paying close attention to the weekly forecast. It’s a race before the worst settles in. But why put ourselves through that misery when we should be enjoying the season? If you feel you really need to get yard work done, try a gentler approach with rakes and electric blowers while keeping whole leaves intact. Divert them towards the base of trees, into the garden beds or into a pile somewhere else on your property. It’s not necessary to send them away in bags either. Hold onto nature’s gift for next year’s growing season and reduce your environmental footprint (oh, that thing again).
The truth is there is an easier way. You can leave the leaves in your yard until Spring. Say what? Yes, it won’t be detrimental to your lush carpet of green turf if you wait. Most of the leaves are going to break down into compost anyway and will help boost your nutrient-starved turf. You’re not only helping your lawn but you are also providing winter protection for a wide variety of insects, from the creepy, not-so creepy and fuzzy ones that are actually your allies in the garden. Now that’s an easy excuse to forget about the year-end panic! Provide some bedding material for the invertebrates that matter most. Can you imagine sleeping through winter without bed sheets? Many butterflies, caterpillars, bees, moths and beetles can only survive winter with this protective layer. Cocoons and chrysalis may fall off from the tree limbs above. They often blend into the leaf litter so well, and actually look like old leaves, that you wouldn’t know they are there. All the more reason to be gentle when preparing the yard for winter. Some of these insects support the local food web.
In Spring, when the weather warms up to a consistent 10 degrees Celsius (50 F) it will be safe to do what you want with what’s remaining in the yard. The insects would have woken up from their winter slumber and ready to get busy for the warmer weather.
Oh, we forgot about the garden! Forget about the garden until Spring. Honestly. Much of the old flower stalks and leaf litter provide hibernation spots for many solitary bees. They’re small, stingless and again, you won’t notice they are there. If you’re anxious to snip something, you can cut back the tall stalks to a height no less than twelve inches. It’s recommended to leave a variety of heights ranging from twelve to twenty-four inches. This will make it easier for those bees to set up for winter. Some bees will chew their own holes in the stalks also.
If there are sunflowers in the garden, feel free to leave them standing since you can feed the birds into the first part of the winter. It’ll be fun watching them visit your yard and provide some entertainment watching them peck and pry their brunch.
Enjoy this season!
Matt Thomson is a local conservationist based in Severn and enjoys engaging the community through citizen science events & activities. Be sure to follow him on Instagram or Facebook, @ardtreanature.
