Fall Gardening for Pollinators Leave things a little wild

As Wisconsin gardeners gather their tools for fall cleanup, some of the most valuable work they can do involves deciding what to leave alone.

Fallen leaves, standing stems and undisturbed soil provide places for insects to survive the winter. While monarch butterflies migrate south, many other pollinators spend the cold months close to where they lived during summer, tucked into the landscape in various stages of their life cycles. Our fall gardening choices can help protect that next generation.

Keep the late-season buffet open

Flowers still blooming in September and October offer valuable food for insects. According to UW–Madison Extension, fall nectar sources help fuel migrating monarchs and support bees and other insects that remain active late in the season.

Let those flowers finish their work before cutting them back. As you consider next year’s garden, look for Wisconsin-native asters and goldenrods suited to your soil, sunlight and available space. These plants can help extend the bloom season when other flowers have finished.

Give leaves a place to stay

A layer of fallen leaves provides winter cover for many butterflies, moths and other beneficial insects. Bagging everything for removal can carry away both their shelter and the insects already using it.

Keeping leaves does not require abandoning a tidy yard. Rake leaves from walkways and portions of the lawn into designated beds or beneath shrubs. In habitat areas, keep them whole: shredding can destroy insects and reduces the shelter leaves provide. A defined bed or small habitat sign can help neighbors understand the purpose behind a less-manicured corner.

Let stems stand

Healthy perennial stems and seed heads can remain through winter. Some native bees use hollow or pithy stems for nesting, while standing seed heads offer food for birds. Those dried stalks still have a job to do.

There is an exception: plants with disease problems may need fall cleanup to reduce problems next season. UW–Madison Extension recommends removing infected plant material while retaining healthy growth where it benefits wildlife.

Remember the habitat underfoot

Many native bees nest underground. Protect existing nesting areas from unnecessary digging or tilling, and retain some patches of accessible, bare soil instead of covering every opening with thick mulch. A garden with flowers, standing stems, leaf cover and open soil can meet a wider range of pollinator needs.

You do not need to transform an entire property this fall. Start with one flower bed, a shrub border or a quiet corner of the yard. Keep its shelter intact and plan for flowers that bloom throughout the growing season.

The garden may be winding down, but its role as wildlife habitat continues.

District 1 gun raffle is open!

Get Your Tickets NOW!

Heritage Model 92 357 Mag Rifle 24″ Oct Barrel

Heritage Roscoe 38 special revolver, 3″ Barrel

Tickets are $10 each or 3 for $20. Drawing at 2 p.m., December 20, 2026 at C&C Guns, LLC, 419 54th Ave.,  Superior, WI

For more information, Call Bill at 715-376-2116  or Clyde at 715-262-6855

Need not be present to win

Check out the April Arms Raffle!

Leave a Legacy for Wisconsin’s Outdoors

Think of the places and traditions that shaped your love of Wisconsin’s outdoors—a favorite fishing spot, opening morning at deer camp, or watching your grandchildren discover the wildlife in their own backyard.

Planned giving offers a way to carry that love forward. By including the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation in your estate plans, you can help sustain conservation and outdoor opportunities for generations to come.

As you consider the legacy you want to leave, we invite you to make Wisconsin’s outdoors part of that story.

Visit our planned giving page to explore the possibilities.

Check out the WiWF merch store!

Click the button below to check out our store!

Several Wisconsin Trapping Seasons Opening soon