It’s that time of year when the sound of leaf blowers come from all around the neighborhood and lawnmowers dawn the day whenever it’s nice out. For many, spring cleaning isn’t limited to indoors but spans the yard and garden as well. Warmer temperatures and additional hours of sunlight encourage people to go outside and get started!
Similar to this blog post we issued about fall yard work, spring time lawn and garden activities should be planned carefully to ensure you will have an attractive home and yard while also maximizing protection of the natural environment.
Ideal Timeframe
As much as that bare yard, free of snow, is calling to you, don’t rush it! Late April to early May is the ideal timeframe for New England spring yard cleaning. This period allows enough time for wildlife and invertebrates such as bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects, to emerge from their winter habitats. Smaller wildlife including frogs, salamanders and toads start to become more active around this time and can be hard to spot to avoid injury with a rake or mower.
Environmentally Friendly Yard Work
Here are some practical tips about starting your yard work but not disturbing the ecosystem.
- Don’t touch the leaves left over from last season until the days are consistently over 50°F. Leaf blowing and raking can disturb the insects that haven’t emerged from under the leaf cover that they rely on for shelter and overwintering yet. And even once they do emerge during the day, they need these areas for use on chilly nights. This is also a good reason to delay lawn mowing until it’s warmer.
- When it’s time to trim bushes and trees, proceed with caution and do it gently. Birds often nest in shrubs and small trees, so do a visual inspection for nests.
- Cut back perennial stems that are still above ground by leaving enough stem to allow for beneficial insects to use them.
- If you come across an invasive species, ask your local resources like an arborist, a garden center or your local Cooperative Extension Office about how to deal with them. Ripping out or digging up invasive species can spread their seeds more.
- Try to minimize soil disruption. Many beneficial insects live just below the soil surface, so avoid deep digging until early summer.
- Use eco-friendly or organic pest controls and herbicides – online sources can identify good local options or vendors to help you choose.
- Support the environment by planting native plants and a variety of native flowers that bloom throughout the growing season! This provides food all season for pollinators.
- Consider joining the “No Mow May” movement that allows grass and wildflowers to grow well into early summer to create additional habitat and forage for early season pollinators (and it will drive your neighbor crazy!).
And as we transition into summer months, consider:
- Scheduling your irrigation systems or lawn watering early in the morning to allow for maximum absorption.
- Let lawn clippings compost in a specific spot of your yard all summer, and don’t move it until late fall, when you can use it for garden coverage instead of buying mulch.
- Set your lawn mower to a higher level to allow for higher grass, which can reduce watering and result in thicker coverage over time with less chemical use.
- Refrain from burning grass and leaves, since this eliminates the potential for organic nutrients to re-enter the ecosystem in a way that is accessible to plants and wildlife and can contribute to local air pollution. On dry days, untended fires are a safety hazard and can spread quickly and have unwanted consequences.
We can Help!
Our environmental permitting/coordinating specialists are experts at considering how ecosystems large and small are affected by human development. While we work with our clients to address project-specific impacts at all levels, we want you to know how to care for the ecosystems that exist outside your front steps. The way we take care of nature (even our backyard) plays into a larger network of healthy environments throughout the state and region. Have questions about our environmental resources? Reach out to me!
