Why do sustainable practices matter?

• They can help reduce your overall garden waste. 

• They address some of the environmental impacts of conventional cleanup. 

• They improve soil health. 

• They help with biodiversity in your area, bugs and critters alike. 

Leave the Leaves (Strategically)

Mulch. One of the best things you can do with your fall leaf litter is to turn it into useful mulch. Mulching is the process of breaking down dried fall leaves into small parts. This helps leaves break down easier and can promote soil and lawn health. Mulch can be used for insulating flower beds and it helps key nutrients return into the soil. 

Mulching leaves can be done with specific lawnmowers or electric leaf shredders, but there are also some easy to do free alternatives. You can stomp them in a trash bag, use gardening shears, or even run them over with a car. One recent study from the University of Wisconsin found that using 2-5 inches of mulched leaves for winter lawn cover resulted in greener grass throughout the summer and resulted in fewer weeds than unmulched leaves. 

Another benefit of leaving leaf litter strategically around your yard is the shelter they provide beneficial insects like pollinators. Multiple insects like bees, butterflies, and moths use remnants of your garden to overwinter in. Leaving some areas with leaf piles, dead plant stems, and even tree bark can provide beneficial insects with the necessary cover to survive the winter. 

Cut Plants Back Selectively

It can be tempting to cut back your plants (perennials and shrubs) every fall, but leaving some plant material standing, like dead plant stems, leaves, and even flowers, can provide additional nutrients to your gardens. In addition, leaving flower heads behind is beneficial not just to your garden’s bug population but the local birds as well. Coneflowers, sunflowers, and other prairie flowers provide seeds to birds throughout the winter. Leaving them up can provide them with a good food source, and a habitat source for small creatures. Also, if you do need to cut these plants back, consider cutting the top two-thirds down; some insects specifically overwinter in the bottom one-third of the plant stalk. However, it is always recommended to cut dead or diseased plants to remove any infestation entirely. 

Compost Smarter

Composting piles are a good way to turn plant materials and more, into usable mulch that can provide great nutrients back to your plants! Composting is the process of letting natural occurring processes break down plant and yard waste resulting in a great soil amendment or mulch.  

Besides grass and leaves, many other organic materials are compostable, such as:

• Coffee grounds

• Eggshells

• Faded flowers

• Fruit and vegetable scraps

• Lake plants

• Leftover plants at the end of the gardening season

• Nonwoody shrub trimmings or twigs less than one-fourth inch in diameter

• Shredded newspaper (black and white print)

• Small amounts of wood ash and sawdust

• Straw

• Weeds

Taking the time to build or buy a structure to start a compost pile can produce faster and more thorough composting, getting more benefits from your garden leftovers. While composting can seem hard to learn, this guide from the University of Minnesota, can provide a better understanding of how to start your own! 

Reuse Garden Waste Creatively

If your garden cleanup consists of more wood-based debris, or you have any woody invasives, consider using those leftover materials to either make a brush pile for smaller animals or make a natural trellis! Making a brush pile can be great as it provides natural protection for small animals, such as songbirds, small mammals, and even foxes or skunks! In addition, as the brush decays it will also provide great nutrients for insects, which are a great food source for other animals like birds and small mammals. Small brush piles stacked strategically could even be used as a good shelter for small saplings from deer! To build one, start with larger branches or logs as a base and then add smaller branches on top. 

Besides brush piles, larger branches and bendable sticks can be used to make a trellis for any of your climbing garden plants! This offers a fun DIY opportunity to make use of every part of your garden! 

These good gardening practices, as you clean up your garden, can make a big difference for your local ecosystem. This fall, bring your garden into balance with nature by trying a few of these tricks yourself!

Photo Credits: https://atlaslawnandsnow.com (1,2), https://source.roboflow.com (3), https://images.rawpixel.com (4)