After hearing people say, “don’t clean up your yard this fall because you could kill your pollinators,” I am curious about where they are getting this information. As a gardener of over 12 years and working in the tree service industry for longer, I am shocked at this general misconception!
Billy and I often disagree on what to do with our yard and landscaping. He is the traditional ‘keep it clean and cut’, and I am the environmental ‘but is it good or bad for nature’ type.
I like deadwood rotting near my trees and gardens. I know that the dead rise again through the living. I reuse as much waste as possible, often as fuel from decomposed organics. I do not mind brush piles as they create homes for wildlife away from my house.
Bill likes cut grass, clean yards, and professionally trimmed trees. No debris or piles in sight. A perfect landscaped yard for this perfectionist landscaper!
Our heads may butt at times, however; together, we create beautiful, environmentally friendly yards, landscapes, gardens, and wild places!
There is a myth that cleaning your yard is ‘bad’ for pollinators. Sure fallen leaves and dead flowers are great places for these guys to overwinter. These things also put nutrients back into the ground. Aesthetically this is not appealing. It is a choice for the gardener.
Rarely, in our line of work, do we come across beneficial pollinators hibernating. Instead, we typically find carpenter ants, termites, and boring beetles. These are destructive and invasive insects. When it comes to our houses and living spaces, these pests do more damage than good.
If you decide to keep any deadwood or debris on your property, keep it away from your home. When we find signs of these little guys on your property, we often suggest things to protect you from them.
- Remove possible nesting spaces from your yard, such as woodpiles, wooden yard equipment, brush, dead or dying trees & tree stumps, furniture, and other, possibly moist, wooden items.
- Keep tree limbs and branches away from the walls of your home. Carpenter ants use these as bridges to enter your home.
- Do not store lumber or firewood inside or right outside your home.
- Spraying tree trunks and wood with a simple solution of dish soap and water can prevent infestation and keep insects away.
If and when we come across bees in trees, we call, or have our customers call, a professional beekeeper with the knowledge of proper handling and protection of our friends! Thank you for reading! Talk to a professional today by calling 636-326-2512! Our knowledgeable family can assist you with all of your tree care questions!
Sincerely,
Rachel McCabe
For further study:
https://cedarcide.com/blogs/guides/10-natural-tips-get-rid-carpenter-ants
636-428-1390 
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