Spring Garden Cleanup: Timing for Pollinator Protection
• Delay spring garden cleanup until daytime temperatures consistently exceed 50°F (10°C) for at least a week to protect overwintering pollinators.
• Assess your garden, prioritize trimming tasks, and ensure tools are clean before starting your spring cleanup.
• Leave some areas of your garden untouched to provide shelter and nesting sites for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
Balancing garden tidiness with pollinator needs
Spring is an exciting time for gardeners, signaling the start of a new growing season. However, it's crucial to balance the desire for a tidy garden with the needs of local pollinators. Many beneficial insects, such as bees and butterflies, overwinter in gardens, seeking shelter in leaf litter, plant stems, and the soil. Disturbing these habitats too early can disrupt their life cycles and negatively impact their populations.
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