⏰ Is it Spring Clean-up Time?

Annual father/daughter photo with our cherry tree, "Freddy"

When the first warm days arrive after a long winter in Pittsburgh, as a gardener, I'm eager to get outside and start tidying up my garden in preparation for spring flowers. However, over the years, I’ve learned to exercise a bit of patience before I start raking leaves and trimming old plant stalks, especially as I’ve learned more about pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Some of us have heard the saying “Leave the leaves” in the fall, which encourages letting leaves naturally decompose in our yards rather than raking and bagging them. This practice helps create healthy soil that benefits wildlife. I usually keep the leaves in my garden beds for this purpose.

But when is it appropriate to start cleaning up as spring approaches?

Some ground and bumblebees rely on leaf litter to keep warm during cold spring nights. Additionally, butterfly chrysalises that overwinter on twigs and dead plant stems may not have emerged yet. There are several online resources that offer valuable advice, such as the Xerces Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting invertebrates (like butterflies) and their habitats. They provide a few easy questions to help determine the right time for cleanup:

1. Have you put away your winter gear, such as mittens, hats, and scarves? If not, it may be best to wait a few more weeks before tackling the yard work.

2. Has tax season passed? If so, and it’s mid-April, it could be a good time to start cutting back stems and cleaning up some of the leaf litter.

3. Have the apple and cherry trees bloomed? The blooming of certain trees, like apples, cherries, plums, and pears, is a good indicator that pollinators have emerged from their slumber. In my yard, my cherry tree is the first to bloom (see photo above), typically in early April, and will be buzzing with bees. This is my signal that our friendly pollinators are active, and I can begin clearing garden debris to prepare for my spring blooms.

I’ve found these three tips from the Xerces Society extremely helpful as I get ready for gardening season, ensuring it’s a haven for happy bees and butterflies.

Note from the author: This article is also featured in the April 2025 Bulletin, for the Gardening Advice and Earthly Delights column