The Latest & Best Practices for Spring Garden Cleanup
- Nuts for Natives
- Apr 2
- 4 min read
When and how to move leaves, cut back and more....
Last week, I joined a webinar hosted by journalist, podcaster and book author Margaret Roach of A Way to Garden. Her guest was Rebecca McMackin, former Director of the Brooklyn Bridge Park and professional horticulturalist whose Ted Talk about native plants has over 1M views. These are two of the foremost experts on native plants these days!
I just love Rebecca's combination of resolute dedication to native plants and pragmatism for what is realistic for our gardens. You can subscribe to her newsletter (Margaret notes published on the night of a full moon!). Margaret's podcast has loads of native plant discussions. Highly recommend!
Here are my take aways from Margaret and Rebecca:
Spring Cleanup in General
When is it safe to begin spring cleanup? Basically it never is because there are always animals living in the places we as gardeners like to clean up. So, Rebecca says, we have to use rules of thumb. For a while, there was a lot of talk about the best time to begin spring cleanup being after we experienced several days of temperatures above 50 degrees. Then we learned this practice works for many insects but other insects over winter on different schedules. They might emerge in summer or the following year so any activity would be detrimental. Waiting as long as you can is best.
Rebecca advises if you follow the 3 to 5 days at 50 degrees plus rule of thumb, you are doing well. Many pollinators emerge with the first flush of flowers. She says "you have to do it at some point!" Her advice is to customize your practices to your garden and try to minimize your impact on wildlife as much as you can.
Spring Cleanup of Leaves
Most of us have heard it is best to leave the leaves. Rebecca confirms this is the very best practice. Hundreds of animals over winter in leaves. Fireflies spend two winter seasons in our leaf litter before emerging. Luna moths do not emerge until summer. Since it is not practical for many of us to leave all of the leaves, all of the time, it is a matter of finding what works best for our particular situation.
Rebecca's tips:
Can you find a place on your property where you are able to leave leaves forever? Perhaps a back corner?
When you do move the leaves, approach as though you are carefully moving a living community. Blowing is better than shredding. Raking is better than blowing. Gathering is better than raking.
Tread lightly around plants. Rebecca points out pearl crescent butterfly caterpillars overwinter under the rosettes of smooth asters.
Native plants easily emerge through layers of oak leaves: bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora), bleeding heart (Dicentra eximia), native ferns, heuchera (Heuchera americana), solomon's seal (Maianthemum racemosum) and trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) among many others.
Native plants that don't tolerate leaves: foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)
Gardening on 1/8 of an acre in a City, leaving leaves can be a challenge. Over winter, prevailing west winds tend to pile leaves along a short fence at my front door. I will gather them up and move as many as I can to areas beneath shrubs and trees. I can say that since beginning to leave the leaves over 5 plus years now, there has been a noticeable increase in fireflies!
Spring Cut Backs
Most of us have heard it is best to leave the stems of perennials up over winter. Rebecca says ideally we would leave everything up all the time. Again, since that is not always practical, it is a matter of finding what works best for your garden.
Rebecca's tips:
Can you find places in your garden that never need a cut back? Perhaps at the back of your garden beds?
Many perennials including asters and goldenrods still have viable seeds. Leave cut seed heads on the ground as much as possible. (She does advise to consider whether you want more asters and goldenrods to seed in first!)
Sedges never need to be cut back. Insects over winter in and among the plants. And, they just look better not being cut back.
If a perennial has a hollow stem 1/8 inch or wider, never cut it to the ground. Always leave about 12" of stem. This "stem stubble" should never be removed. Bees who move in will grow through the summer and over winter. Stem stubble will naturally decay. This actually helps bees avoid disease and fungus because, unlike human made bee houses, this "home" is never around long enough to allow disease and fungus to set up. Stem stubble also acts as a frame to support new growth.
For bunch grasses, bumble bees overwinter under the skirts. Leave the skirt and cut back the tops.
Leave as much on the ground as possible; try to mimic what the plants do.
Rebecca says messy gardens make the best habitats. Cues to care like crisp edging, a foot wide border of mulch, a mowed edge around a meadow, signs and paths all signal an area is being cared for. Employ these practices liberally!
Before you know it, the tans and browns of winter have given way to the flowers of spring. A million thanks to Margaret Roach and Rebecca McMackin for their phenomenal work to help us all learn more about how we can do more to support nature! This webinar was the first in a series of three offered by Margaret. 'Trees & Shrubs 2.0: Hedgerows and Pocket Forests" with Basil Camu is on tap for April 24th and "Shade 2.0: The New Shade Garden in the Age of Climate Change" with Ken Druse on May 15th. You can register here.
Happy Gardening!
I really enjoy your posts where you share your key takeaways. With a full-time job and 3 little kids, I don't always have time to sit and listen to an hour-long webinar, so posts like this are so helpful! I also appreciate the pictures - trying to garden for wildlife can feel so different, that's its helpful to see examples of what other like-minded gardeners are doing!
Good advice on the clean-up. I do usually wait until the conditions you recommend...which will happen in the next couple of weeks. Beautiful photos, too! Rabbits must eat Heuchera, because I've tried to grow it, but it doesn't seem to do well here. Love it, though.
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I have long enjoyed your blog posts but I think that this one many be your most beneficial and informative yet. Thank you so much for sharing!
My very first newsletter after subscribing and I learned a ton! Thank you!
Thank you!! I’ve been telling people to “leave it as messy as you can stand” and doing the same. I love the advice to move leaves like you’re moving a living community.