Jessica Carlson 

Otter Tail County Master Gardener Intern

Fall cleanup season is here in Zone 4A, and that means gardeners are out tidying beds, trimming plants, and raking leaves. There is something deeply satisfying about standing back and seeing a yard that looks crisp, orderly, and ready for winter. People who take pride in neat yards deserve credit for the beauty they bring to their neighborhoods. Their care and attention often inspire others to tend their spaces as well. What many do not realize is that with just a few small changes, those same neat yards can also become safe havens for pollinators.

The University of Minnesota Extension reminds us that pollinators depend on the very things many gardeners remove. Hollow and pithy stems are more than dried stalks. They are apartments for tiny native bees. Instead of cutting every plant to the ground, try trimming stems to about a foot high. When they are all cut to the same height they look intentional, not wild. In the spring, new growth quickly hides them, and the result is a bed that stays tidy while still giving pollinators what they need.

Some may be downright irritated at the phrase “Leave the Leaves!” Nobody likes a thick mat of soggy leaves smothering the grass. Neat gardeners already know that lawns look better when they are clear. Yet those leaves can be mulched or shredded and added neatly to flower beds, where they feed the soil and protect insects. A tidy leaf pile placed in a back corner also works. To our eyes it looks contained and orderly. To pollinators it is a cozy winter blanket.

Seed heads also deserve a second look before cutting them down. Coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and ornamental grass provide natural food for birds through the colder months. Goldfinches and chickadees are drawn to seed heads that remain standing. The shapes of seed heads and grasses also add winter interest, catching frost and snow in a way that looks artistic rather than untidy. By leaving a few groupings of seed heads in visible spots, gardeners can enjoy a landscape that feels alive even in January while supporting wildlife at the same time.

The insects that are dependent on overwintering are worth knowing. Bumble bee queens snuggle under leaves until it is time to emerge and start new colonies. Woolly bear caterpillars curl up in leaf litter to wait out the snow. Swallowtail butterflies may spend the cold months in a chrysalis attached to a dried stem during their miraculous stage of diapause. Tiny native bees lay their eggs in hollow stalks so young bees can be ready when the weather warms. These hidden guests return the favor when they pollinate our flowers, fruits, and vegetables in the growing season. For more information please visit www.extension.umn.edu/lawns-and-landscapes/pollinator-nests