“It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want — oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” – Mark Twain
After so many months of watching the whites, grays, and browns of winter, we all feel anxious to get out and do something. And cleaning up the garden beds, providing space for new growth and spring flowers, can seem like it should top the to-do list. Not so fast, warns NYSIPM biocontrol expert, Amara Dunn. There are real benefits to holding off for a while.
As she discussed in her 2021 blog post, When can I clean up my garden…and still protect beneficial insects?, some wild bees nest in dead stems, and dead leaves and other plant debris on the ground provide shelter for lady beetles, fireflies, and ground beetles, all of which can help control other insects that might find your long-awaited flowers delicious.
Amara provided us all with a do-nothing tutorial in this month’s What’s Bugging You? First Friday event, which you can check out here:
“Don’t let the complexity of the situation paralyze you.” – Amara Dunn, NYSIPM
In both the blog post and the video, Amara assures us that if there are garden beds you showcase, go ahead and tidy them. But if you have other areas that can be left for now, or if you’re just looking for an excuse to focus on other projects, know that leaving your garden messy for a few more weeks will really help beneficial insects.
For more information on sheltering and attracting critters that can protect your garden, visit our biocontrol resources page.
So go ahead and celebrate Earth Day by… doing nothing! What could be easier?
…and send us a photo for our IPM & You Photo Contest while you’re at it!
