With every season, there is a possibility of finding some dead plants in your garden! Some reasons for them dropping or wilting include drought, heat, cold, and disease.
No matter how hard you try to save your plants, sometimes it isn’t possible. But there’s no need to worry because that has happened to me too! Last year, extreme weather caused significant damage in my garden.
I was able to save a few of my plants, but unfortunately, I lost the rest. This made me curious about whether leaving dead plants in my yard was a wise choice or a terrible mistake. After my research, I found some interesting things.
If this question also bothers you, I’ve got you covered. The answer to whether you should leave dead plants or not might shock you!
Shocking Reasons Why You Should Pull Dead Vegetables
Well, in many cases, pulling dead vegetable plants is a good option. There are two main reasons why you’ll need to do this task.
First, you should pull them because of all the pests and diseases that are wandering around your garden. Powdery mildew can be persistent in ruining your crops, and this fungal disease can even survive cold winter days.
This poses a high risk of affecting your healthy crops or plants. To break that cycle, pulling your damaged and dead plants is a must!
Next is the importance of crop rotation. How is this connected with dead plants? Well, removing old plants prevents regrowth in the same spot. If you don’t pull ruined crops, they won’t taste good next season and there will be a threat of pest attacks.
That’s why crops need to be rotated every year to keep the soil healthy and rich in nutrients. By doing this, there won’t be any dead plants, instead, they will thrive in your garden all season long!
There Are A Few Exceptions Where Leaving Dead Plants Could Be A Good Choice
You can leave dead plants in your garden, but only if they aren’t affected by pests and diseases! All you need to do is dig them into the soil to speed up decomposition.
They will benefit the soil, especially if you grow cover crops! Later, when you plant new crops, the decomposed dead plants will provide good compost for a strong start.
There’s also another great reason why leaving them is a good idea. They will benefit wildlife in your garden! Prune only damaged leaves and leave the rest in the yard.
This will attract hardworking pollinator bees and ladybugs, which will protect your plants from pests and keep them safe when the growing season starts! Isn’t that great? The more dead plants you leave in the garden over the winter, the better the results will be next year!
It’s better to know when to leave dead plants or remove them from your garden for good! By pulling these plants, you’ll be able to keep your other plants safe and sound throughout the season.
But if they are not affected, leaving them will attract beneficial wildlife that helps your crops stay healthy without facing any pest problems! All you need to do is monitor your plants daily. Now you know what to do if you spot affected or damaged crops!
Good luck!