Fallen leaves in the garden will blanket the soil, slow weeds, and shelter a whole mini-wildlife community. Many native butterflies, moths, beetles, and even some queen bumble bees ride out winter tucked into leaf litter and hollow stems. When we keep some of that litter in place, we’re giving next spring’s pollinators a head start.

That's the idea behind the National Wildlife Federation "Leave the Leaves" campaign. . Each October they put out a campaign to raise awareness around the incredibly valuable habitat for wildlife and nutrients for plants that comes in the form of our yard waste.

But what if this season brought a heavy pest infestation to your garden and you don’t want to give those pests a place to shelter? That’s where a targeted cleanup comes in clutch. So, today on Just Grow Something we’re talking about how to leave the leaves strategically. I’ll give you pointers on how to keep the fallen leaf layer in your garden to benefit the bevy of butterflies, beetles, and bumblebees without giving sanctuary to the squash bugs and the scales. Let’s dig in!

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Leave the Leaves Month info: https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Join-the-Movement/Seasonal-Initiatives/Leave-the-Leaves-Month

Full transcript and show notes can be found here: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/leave-the-leaves-strategically-ep-271