Dakota Gardener: Hold off on the clean-up

There are some good reasons to leave plant debris in your landscape over winter including providing habitat for pollinators and wildlife, and improving soil health. (NDSU photo)

There are some good reasons to leave plant debris in your landscape over winter including providing habitat for pollinators and wildlife, and improving soil health. (NDSU photo)

Dakota Gardener: Hold off on the clean-up

Dakota Gardener: Hold off on the clean-up

Dakota Gardener: Hold off on the clean-up

Dakota Gardener: Hold off on the clean-up

The extended summer with temperatures near 80 degrees Fahrenheit in recent weeks has been great, as a few more of my tomatoes, peppers and pumpkins ripened. Unfortunately, winter isn’t that far away. Like most gardeners, there is a list of tasks I need to complete before the first snowflakes fall.

One of the tasks not on my to-do list is plant clean-up. I won’t remove any plant debris (leaves and s…