I like to stack functions while also learning from nature's inherent balance, genius and symbiotic interconnectness so I like to offer to rake the leaves for my neighbors (which without my offer would put them in bags to be sent to municipal waste facilities) and then I do as you suggest (add them to garden beds to enrich biodiversity, overwintering habitat potential and soil protecting/enriching). This year I was blessed to have a bumblebee queen decide that our yard was worth building her nest in. I was working in our herb patch harvesting mint and tulsi and I heard the deep buzzing sound of the nest defenders arising to let me know I was near their home. One of them confidently tackled and bounced off my forehead a few times just to let me know he meant business and so I backed off and left that corner of the yard for them.
What a blessing they were for my goji berry vines, tomato, peppers, blueberries and apple trees, I got amazing pollination rates. I also placed some potted specimens of plants I noticed them favoring near the nest for easy nectar access (like anise hyssop, tulsi, echinacea, and lupins).
Thank you for speaking for our winged and rooted kin, I appreciate your efforts to inform humans about these often overlooked aspects of our shared existence.
Excellent post sister!
I like to stack functions while also learning from nature's inherent balance, genius and symbiotic interconnectness so I like to offer to rake the leaves for my neighbors (which without my offer would put them in bags to be sent to municipal waste facilities) and then I do as you suggest (add them to garden beds to enrich biodiversity, overwintering habitat potential and soil protecting/enriching). This year I was blessed to have a bumblebee queen decide that our yard was worth building her nest in. I was working in our herb patch harvesting mint and tulsi and I heard the deep buzzing sound of the nest defenders arising to let me know I was near their home. One of them confidently tackled and bounced off my forehead a few times just to let me know he meant business and so I backed off and left that corner of the yard for them.
What a blessing they were for my goji berry vines, tomato, peppers, blueberries and apple trees, I got amazing pollination rates. I also placed some potted specimens of plants I noticed them favoring near the nest for easy nectar access (like anise hyssop, tulsi, echinacea, and lupins).
Thank you for speaking for our winged and rooted kin, I appreciate your efforts to inform humans about these often overlooked aspects of our shared existence.