Leave the Messy Winter Garden

If it's not too late, I'd like to urge folks to not get too obsessive about tidying up the garden this fall.

A) It will save your back B) It will leave more time for football C) It will provide food and shelter for wildlife.

Try not deadheading and leave the seed heads for the birds. Unpruned perennials may harbor overwintering butterfly pupa. Tall grasses provide food and shelter, leaf mulch is a cozy habitat for myriad beneficial insects and lizards and a slow water drip will attract birds from all over the neighborhood.

So, leave the garden, enjoy the game and know that you're being virtuous by providing for wildlife...not being lazy!

This message was edited Nov 1, 2007 4:37 AM

I agree. Although I have a tough time not cleaning up

Tall grass...I have no problem with that out on my property this year. With all those rains, the grasses grew quite well. Little Bluestem, Silver Bluestem and Indiangrass, among others are SO tall, even with the caliche and rock we have around here! I don't mow them, BTW. I see lots of Common Mestras flying out there in the grass this year. But I have to do some pruning inside the yard. It turned into a virtual jungle during all that nonstop rain this summer.

This message was edited Oct 31, 2007 8:27 PM

I have no problem with a messy garden. We don't have neighbors to impress and can let everything go to seed. If i kept it clean i would miss watching the birds flitting and kicking up the leaves, looking for goodies. The spiders have webs among the dying back stalks and twigs. And I can look forward to having lots of interesting support for icicles. I'm getting used to the idea that Summer is gone, and almost excited that Winter will soon be here.

i am glad this thread started. i have some millet and corn and such that came up in a flower bed that was to be ready this fall. i threw bird seed out there in the spring and with all of the rain a lot of it germinated. my question is this..........i NEED that flower bed so i am wondering if i cut the stalks at ground level and just prop them up somewhere if that would be o.k for the birds?

I don't see why not. I cut down sunflowers in the Summer when they start looking ratty and just hang them on the fence. Or you could just set them on top of the compost where the birds can reach them.

THE CHOCOLATIER! well i am going to do it and just see if the birds mind.