CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — As fall approaches, gardeners are often tempted to trim back their plants for winter. However, experts suggest that leaving perennials standing can offer numerous benefits for insects, birds, and soil.
“Leaving behind that plant residue, the stems and the leaves and those kinds of things, give many of our native insects a place to overwinter or protect them in their overwintering space, should it be just under the soil,” Aaron Steil, Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist for Iowa State University said.
The leftover plant materials not only provides shelter for beneficial insects, but also offers food for wildlife, such as birds, through the seed heads…