Ah, spring! It ushers in warm air, flowers, animals raising their young, colorful birds and butterflies migrating from the distant south, and insects. Our yards can provide an oasis for local and traveling animals and pollinators. There are simple ways you can welcome wildlife of all kinds and maintain an eco-friendly yard.

Lawn care:

• Mow high and encourage deep roots. When grass is keep high (3-4”) it shades out weeds and retains moisture. Deep roots keep the lawn aerated and healthy. A healthy lawn needs less chemicals than a lawn that is struggling. Water infrequently and for long periods of time, with the best time being early morning before 10am. Also, it’s best to mulch the grass clippings onto the lawn to naturally renew soil nutrients.

• Fertilize correctly. Synthetic lawn fertilizers lead to toxic run-off entering our water supply. Make sure you are fertilizing at the right time of year, using the right amount, and using organic fertilizers instead of synthetic.

• Reduce pesticide use. Similar to fertilizers, pesticides build up in rain runoff and pollute our waterways, and indiscriminately kill insects in your lawn. Determine the level of pests or weeds you can tolerate. Maybe you can hand-pull or spot-treat weeds rather than use a blanket spray. Dandelions provide early spring food for bees, so perhaps you can wait until they bloom to pull them.

Garden care:

• Put off spring clean-up until seven over-50-degree days pass. Did you know that around 70% of native bees nest in shallow underground shelters? Many more pollinators overwinter in hollow stems and leaf piles. If you clear that away too early you risk tossing away hundreds of beneficial insects! If you must do clean-up when it is still chilly, leave some areas covered with leaves and sticks, or pile them in a discrete area for the bees, pollinators, and birds to use. Trim stems to a height of 15 inches and pile the cuttings in a hidden spot in your yard.

• Reduce leaf blower use. It is important to minimize the use of leaf blowers to avoid unintentionally blowing the bees and other beneficial insects away. Additionally, the vital organic top inches of topsoil is often removed by leaf blowers, leaving your garden vulnerable to pests and weeds, which leads to more pesticide use.

• Increase native plantings. Native plants provide healthy havens for birds and other pollinators (yes, birds are pollinators!). They are well-adapted to our area and, once established, require minimal watering due to their deep roots. Most importantly, they thrive without fertilizers and pesticides, and provide crucial food sources for local insects and wildlife.

Here are some helpful links for more information on eco-friendly lawn and garden care:

Pollinator plants for the Great Lakes region

Native IL plant guide

Search for native plant sales near you

Create a Monarch Waystation in your yard