Autumn Is a Time for Cleaning up Nipomo Gardens... or Is It?
By Kevin O'Connor
on Oct 23, 2018 at 01:51 PM in Nipomo Pest Control
Fall Garden Clean Up and Pests
Native bees (a.k.a. solitary bees) sleeping on California Buckwheat
We regularly read horticultural advice advocating raking up and removing leaf litter and debris from Nipomo gardens in order to "clean" them up. Removing the brown seed pods, dried grasses, fallen twigs, coastal live oak leaf litter and other signs of abundant summer growth feels intuitively right. After all, this is how we clean our homes. But does this practice really "clean up" garden pest problems?
Garden Beneficials Need Winter Habitat
Turns out that the very same leaf litter and dried stalks that we fear give harbor to some of our garden nemeses also provide shelter and habitat during colder months to the native pollinators and beneficial insects that keep our Nipomo gardens thriving and in balance during the summer. Pollinators boost the health of our plants and predatory beneficial insects feed on our garden foes -- they may even be encouraged to stay in our gardens because they have a decent food supply!
Keeping shelter in place for the following Nipomo garden "good citizens" seems like something we'd all be interested in:
- Native Bees and other Pollinators
- Butterflies
- Native Ladybug Species
- Insectivorous Birds
- Predatory Insects
We really like this article that advocates delaying garden clean up until the spring months (with some exceptions, of course):
Six Reasons to Not Clean up the Garden This Fall
While it is written with temperate climate gardens in mind, its advice is sound practice for the mediterranean climate gardens found in Nipomo.
Read why kicking back and relaxing in your garden this fall will reward you with increased garden health next summer, then head out into your garden and watch as birds and insects get ready for winter by nestling into the leaf litter and dried stalks out back!
Contact O'Connor Pest Control today if you are having problems with unwanted "pest guests," or call us at 800-284-7985 for immediate service!
Last Friday I was calling frantically and needed an emergency estimate to get rid of a pesky nat infestation the rain had brought about. I called everyone in Goleta and Sb and O'Connors was the only business who went out of their way to get a technician to make time to come out the receptionist was the only receptionist after calling four other businesses that had pep in her step on a Friday morning and actually called each technician and when out of her way to accommodate me . They sent a a technician named Shane and not only did he explain to me what the source of the problem was he was professional and polite when he came in to my business . Shane then came in at early hours to accommodate my work schedule he was willing to come in Saturday or early morning Monday before business hours (keep in mind every other business couldn't even get me an estimate until Monday ). Also Natasha the person who handles the billing made me feel really comfortable and I feel comfortable keeping an account with them because they all seem on it and like they are trust worthy and know what they're doing . O'Connors is definitely your go to place who is going to save the day which is usually exactly what you need when you are calling around for termination / pest control! I highly recommend this team and feel so relieved I have a go to place now ! Thanks O'Connors , you helped my business run smoothly this week and I'm very appreciative !Marissa D
Goleta, CA