Posted by Amy Timms | Prepare the column
During the winter months, I like to start my morning with a cup of coffee and looking around my garden, enjoying the activities and features of the season. Wax cedar wings flew around the branches of the doll tree. Desert cottontails jump into the grass, eating the greens that grow after the rain. Even fallen leaves provide shelter for insects that land on the roots. My garden is small, but it can accommodate a lot of people.
Evidence of our overcrowding is not limited to the backyard. Dormant and overwintering plants can be found wherever there is natural open space. As you walk, look for dead leaves on the ground, home to swallowtails, grouse grubs and bear caterpillars. Native bees may find small holes or mouse holes in the ground where they nest.
Many insects and animals have little chance of survival due to frost, snow and limited food supplies. Currently, black bears are sleeping in their dens, Anna's hummingbirds are sleeping, and monarch butterflies are migrating south or to the coast.
Even some perennials, for example scab, hibernate after stopping vegetative growth. Also called dormancy, this is when plants die down to their roots during the winter, thereby reducing the supply of light and water. In the resting state, pathogens that can develop when the plant is at its weakest are eliminated. If you love monarch butterflies, consider planting dormant native milkweed rather than tropical milkweed, which supports growing populations of Ophryocystis electrosyrrha in winter. This common parasite kills or turns monarch butterflies into pupae.
Creating your own winter environment can be as easy as releasing “bees.” By leaving dead plant stems exposed, it provides a hotel for local bees. Also, leave the leaves alone, as they provide habitat for many soil-dwelling insects and add nutrients to your soil. If necessary, you can remove it in the spring. Or remove the room, leaving bare ground for ground bees. Other ways to add habitat to your garden include including permanent ponds and creating piles of brush, logs, and rocks. Take a step back and move your California plant if you haven't already. Many plants native to this area are easy to grow because they are adapted to the climate.
Population density challenges conventional ideas about gardening, and not everyone likes it. Conventional gardening techniques reduce the cost of living and reduce the presence of wildlife near our homes. We are taught to rake leaves, cut down plants, and leave the landscape with exotic species of evergreen and blooms that provide no benefit to our native wildlife. We ask you to reconsider our suffering wildlife parks.
Overprotection is important in California. Protecting open spaces by restoring native plants to their winter growing locations is an important step in stream and wetland conservation efforts. Native plants we include in our gardens include elderberries, roses, blackberries, sumac, and California sunflowers. In fact, our next volunteer event is the Oak Restoration event on January 13th. You can learn more and register by visiting our website.
Protecting these areas benefits the entire community, not just the plant and animal ecosystem. Caring for the earth gives us the joy of connecting with others in nature and gives us a break from the hustle and bustle of suburbia.
Next time you go gardening in the winter, unplug it and say "Give it!" » Take a look at any winter storage you may have in your backyard. You won't enjoy it alone. Insects and local wildlife are sure to keep you company.
Amy Timms is a land manager at the Rivers and Lands Conservancy and holds a BA in Conservation Biology from UC Davis.
Rivers and Lands Conservancy connects our community to nature, wildlife, and open space in Southern California through land conservation, stewardship, and education.
