As the fall growing season comes to a close and we move close to the winter season, many gardeners instinctively reach for pruners or rakes to clean up their garden beds. In Central New York, where ...

Mourning Cloak butterflies overwinter as an adult in cracks in tree bark, under leaves and in other sheltered area. Photo by Patrick Coin With the longer days and warmer temperatures, there is an urge ...

Most of us picture a perfect garden as neat, trimmed, and cleared of every fallen leaf by the time winter arrives. But what if letting things stay a little wild could actually lead to a healthier, ...

The nice weather last weekend prompted me to start cleaning up from the winter. As I started to rake leaves and clear a path for the emerging perennials, I thought about the potential damage I might ...

It's autumn, your neighbor’s yard has turned into a leaf graveyard, and the squirrels are sizing up your leftover tomatoes. You, on the other hand, are in an epic stand-off with your rake: To clean, ...

Gardeners can help wildlife by leaving plants like coneflowers and ornamental grasses standing through the winter. Seed heads and dried stalks provide essential food and shelter for birds and ...