Even though the predicted rainfall appears to be passing us by, fall just might be arriving early. And with fall temps comes last minute painting and staining projects, fitting in fall bike rides, and…yard work. Want to know how you can cut those multiple yard tasks down to size and give your lawn and wildlife a boost in one fell swoop? It’s easy. Stop working so hard!
The following cost-and-labor-saving advice won’t get you in trouble with neighbors or clash with city ordinances. What it will do is increase the Friend of Wildlife status you’ve already built with wild creatures in your backyard, and provide first-timers with suggestions on how to get started.
Keep seeds in place
It can be satisfying to tidy up the yard in the fall and return garden beds to a neat, spare appearance. What you may find even more satisfying is to leave at least some of those less-conspicuous seed heads in place for winter bird snacking. Think of it this way: The more seed heads you leave in place, the less feed you’ll have to buy this winter. Plus, birds will know exactly where to seek out the protein-rich seeds left for them. And, here’s a bonus, less bird poop to clean off of the patio or deck.
Let leaves lie
You can do it — break the habit of removing every leaf from the yard. I used to rake like a mad thing because I didn’t like fall leaf colors clashing with front door Christmas décor (dumb). Instead, I now rake mowed/chopped leaves on to garden beds for extra plant nourishment. This practice also encourages the growth of insect larvae in the soil to serve as protein-rich bird food.
Lawns treated with chemicals are dead. Let your lawn live and offer life to creatures that depend upon it. Try raking paths through fallen leaves to let the grass show through and serve as trails for garden walkabouts.
Save even more
Our lawn is classified as an Open Woodland, with over thirty mature trees and lots of lawn in between. We’ve learned that keeping a large amount of leaf litter in place creates the healthiest lawn. The practice also skips the need for fall fertilizing.
We do control for some weeds with an environmentally-friendly product, but we’ve found that a healthy, naturally fed lawn is the best weed deterrent available through crowding out most of them — and it doesn’t break the bank.
Stop hauling and start piling
Especially if you have a natural barrier like a hedge between you and neighbors, your side of the hedge can hide a few brush piles once Columbus’s Recycling Center stops picking up. The stick piles provide great shelter for birds and small animals over the winter. Try a few small ones along your property line to start. Try it and see; you can always put the limbs out for pick-up come spring when trees leaf out and once again provide birds shelter.
Becky Pinto has been a Master Gardener since 2006 and was the Master Gardener newsletter editor from 2006-2019. She’s a Silver Level Master Gardener, based on cumulative volunteer hours served in the program. All opinions expressed are those of the writer. Send comments to editorial@therepublic.com.
