Leave the Leaves: Think Before You Rake
Episode 313
Happy Leave the Leaves Month, plant friends! Did you guys know that was a thing that plant parents celebrate in October? It's actually one of the simplest, most low-maintenance, and laziest things that you could do to increase the diversity in your yard and save the planet!
And the perfect person to talk to about that is none other than my plant friend, David Mizejewski, a naturalist from the National Wildlife Federation, and a total plant nerd. He made a compelling argument for why we should all leave our leaves with intention. Let's dive in!
In this episode, we learn:
- [03:03] How David became the ultimate “nature geek” and advocate for wildlife-friendly gardening
- [04:17] Why October is officially “Leave the Leaves Month”
- [05:19] How did David land his dream job working with wildlife?
- [06:45] The connection between native plants, birds, and pollinators
- [07:44] Why conventional lawns are one of the worst habitats for wildlife
- [09:02] Sustainability goes mainstream: rewilding and native plant buzz
- [11:09] What is the role of leaves in biodiversity?
- [11:38] Yard ≠ lawn
- [14:05] Use leaves as free mulch/fertilizer in beds
- [14:46] Wind River Wind Chimes
- [16:26] Manukora Honey
- [18:00] How leaves naturally retain moisture, suppress weeds, and feed soil
- [19:26] How bagged leaves release methane in landfills and worsen climate change
- [23:12] What’s hiding in your leaf litter?
- [24:58] How some moths, fireflies, and birds depend on fallen leaves
- [28:44] Why you should ditch the leaf blower and use a rake instead
- [30:00] Under-leaf all-stars: isopods, earthworms, and other recyclers
- [31:29] How fireflies and other amphibians depend on leaves
- [34:01] How Bumblebee queens overwinter beneath leaves
- [38:31] How to “leave the leaves” the right way: raking, composting, and layering
- [43:00] What to do when your garden beds are full
- [45:33] How to get your town or HOA on board with sustainable yard practices
- [47:37] How small local actions fight climate change
- [48:44] David’s Halloween costumes and wildlife fun facts
- [49:51] Take the pledge + NWF “Leave the Leaves” hub
- [51:31] Where to follow David, NWF, and Garden for Wildlife
Mentioned in our conversation:
For David's wildlife-friendly gardening practices,
check out the full show notes and blog here!
Follow David:
Website
Instagram
YouTube
Facebook
TikTok
LinkedIn
Follow National Wildlife Federation:
Website
Instagram
YouTube
Published on 2 weeks, 2 days ago