I grew up doing the usual fall chores: mowing the lawn one last time, cutting everything back, raking leaves into piles, bagging them up, and dragging them to the curb. Fall cleanup was just what you did.

Now though… I don’t do any of that and this past weekend was a great reminder of why.

Every fall, we leave most of our leaves right where they fall. Some get mulched into the lawn with the mower, some get mulched into garden beds, and eventually we just let the rest stay put until spring. Leaves are an incredible composting material, and I’ve never fully understood why we treat them like trash. They break down into organic matter, feed soil microbes, protect the soil surface, and help retain moisture over the winter.

But it doesn’t stop with the leaves.

We also don’t cut back dead flowers or stalks unless a plant is clearly diseased. What looks “messy” to us turns out to be incredibly valuable habitat and this has been a complete game changer for winter wildlife.

By leaving plants standing and letting seeds remain where they are, our garden has effectively become a known food source for birds that stick around all winter. Yes, winter is a great time to keep bird feeders stocked, but leaving plants intact is just as important. Many native birds rely on seed heads from perennials once insects become scarce. In winter, when bugs are largely unavailable, those seeds can be a crucial energy source.

There’s also the structural side of things. Standing plants provide shelter from wind, places to perch, and protection from predators. And height matters. Having plants at different heights, from ground cover and leaf litter to tall seed heads, creates layers of habitat that different species can use.

If you’re in the Mid-Atlantic, you might still be digging out from the 12+ inches of snow we just received. Even with that snowfall, some of our taller natives, Joe Pye weed, goldenrod (Solidago), and a few others remained above the snow line. Because of that, I got to watch birds actively feeding on the exposed seed heads while everything else was buried.

What we often think of as “unfinished” fall work is actually one of the simplest ways to support local ecosystems. Leaf litter shelters overwintering insects and larvae. Standing plants feed birds. Stems and hollow stalks provide nesting sites for native bees. And when spring finally arrives, all of that material breaks down naturally, returning nutrients to the soil instead of being hauled away in plastic bags.

So these days, my fall cleanup looks a lot different. I still tidy up where it truly matters, but I leave the rest alone and nature does what it’s always done when we give it a little space.

Sometimes, doing less really does more.