When it comes to fall yard clean up, “nature wants us to be lazy”, said Sarah Lawson, environmental studies program director at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn.
She said bagging leaves is one of the worst things for our ecosystem for multiple reasons.
“A lot of our beetles, a lot of our caterpillars and moths are using that leaf litter to stay warm and protect them against the snow cover during the winter,” Lawson said.
Additionally, leaves break down and put nutrients back into the soil.
If you want to get the leaves off of grass, Lawson recommends using them as mulch in garden beds and under trees and shrubs and master gardeners agree.
“It’s the least expensive option,” said John Lorusso, UConn Master Gardener Coordinator.
He said garden soil shouldn’t be left uncovered all winter long, it needs a bed of mulch, so why not use the leaves nature gave you for free.
Another opportunity to help your yard’s ecosystem is in your ornamental garden beds.
“Think about the birds,” said master gardener Sarah Bailey. “If you've got things like Black-eyed Susans and purple coneflower, leave those seed heads. They feed migratory birds and birds like chickadees and finches that stay in Connecticut through winter.
It’s not just birds that rely on spent flowers.
“A lot of our bees and wasps will use the stems of old plants to overwinter in,” said Lawson.
But there are instances when gardeners should completely cut back their plants and throw away the debris, not compost it.
“If you have either an insect problem or a fungal problem, you want to get rid of any potential egg cases for those insects or spores that may be on the leaf litter that has been left behind,” said Lorusso.
If you have a fungal problem, Lorusso said you should also throw away the mulch that’s around the plant, “because the spores are there, and when it starts to come out of the ground again in the springtime, they will reinfect the plant.”
Find out the health of your soil
“I think probably the biggest mistake would be not testing your soil in the fall if you haven't done it recently,” Bailey said. “You can do one either at UConn, through the Home and Garden Center, or you can do it at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.”
Bailey and Larusso said gardeners need to know the soil’s macronutrient and pH levels, in order to best support their plants.
Experts recommend testing every three years whether it is for a grass lawn or vegetable or ornamental garden.
Bailey says fall is a great time to test because then you can apply supplements like manure, fertilizers and limestone, several months before the growing season returns.
“All of those various amendments that you're putting in the soil really need about 6 months to get fully incorporated. So if you do it in the fall, they're ready to go in spring,” said Bailey.
Lorruso said it is especially important for edible gardens because that soil needs a little bit more active management than the average perennial garden. For example, a vegetable plant takes a lot more nutrition out of the soil trying to produce botanical fruits.
Another task on any gardeners to-do list should be dividing and moving perennials.
“Temperatures are cooler, so the plants aren't stressed out by a 90 degree day, and the nights are cooler, which is really important for them to get a rest,” Bailey said.
Additionally, plants don’t have to worry about flower production so they can concentrate on root development.
Bailey said soil temperatures can remain in the 50s to upper 40s until Thanksgiving, so roots have plenty of time this fall to get reestablished.
