Ecological Gardening: The Spring Tidy Up

I recently learned some new information that changed my approach to tidying my garden this spring. You may have heard about the importance of leaving seedheads and dead stems over the winter. The reasoning is that seeds provide winter food for birds and dried stems provide overwintering habitat for insects. It’s important to leave stems intact until temperatures warm up and insects emerge, but when spring finally comes we can cut back these stems.

Typically, I would cut stems down to the ground and let them regrow over the year but it turns out that is not the best approach. Researchers from NC State Extension looked at stems that were cut from gardens at different times of year. They found that older stems are better at providing shelter for overwintering insects because they are more worn down with hollow spaces and access points. By leaving at least 12 inches of stems, last year’s stems will provide even more benefit next year! It is great to have this locally relevant and evidence-based information to help my garden function like part of the ecosystem.

Check out the video showing how I am handling my spring tidy up this year and the NC State Extension article linked below for more details.

Youngsteadt, Elsa , et al. “Garden Cleanup for Pollinators: Trim Perennial Stems in Their First Winter | NC State Extension Publications.” Ncsu.edu, 2024, content.ces.ncsu.edu/garden-cleanup-for-pollinators-trim-perennial-stems-in-their-first-winter.