→ Just joining the Mindful Fall CleanUp Challenge? Click here to catch up with previous emails! 

Hey there, !

Ready to get some sunshine and fresh air, move around and maybe get your hands dirty? We’re coming to you with another observe + interact challenge today.

Your challenge is to identify “weeds” and pull unwanted species - mindfully!

You have probably been pulling weeds all summer, but now is a good time to give your landscape a good once-over to make sure it is clear of unwanted weeds, so they don’t continue to slowly expand or repopulate.

Remember, what we consider a weed isn’t the usual! Many species conventional landscapers pull are actually native, and beneficial to both the pollinators and your blooms. 

So we’re flipping the script again, and asking that you are mindfully selective in this chore.

A few common species we always keep in the beds for their ground cover function and additional ecosystem services are:

• Wild Violets

• Wild Strawberry

• Wild Sedum

• Cinquefoil

Anything that spreads gently without taking over other plants is a great “green mulch” option.

Species we keep in the yard because they are medicinal, good for the soil and low-mow already:

• Clover

• Plantain

• Dandelion

Remember: if it’s not native, it’s not necessarily bad/invasive/aggressive. It’s likely even medicinal! But it’s not as beneficial for our native pollinators, so choose mindfully in balance.

A few things we often pull from beds:

• Thistles (sadly - because they're great at breaking up compacted soil)

• Sorrels (although tasty!)

• Dandelions

• Vines

• Horse weed

• Tree seedlings

Mindful EarthCare Tip: Be sure to identify things you pull out and record them in your Nature journal (see welcome email). 

Weeds can tell us a ton about the conditions of the site, and what grows best there! This will help you choose better plants in the spring :)

For example: thistle often grows in hard compacted clay soils, and it’s function is to break that soil up with its deep corkscrew root! So don’t rush to remove it until it’s done it’s job for you - but feel free to stop it from re-populating (going to seed) if you don’t want a ton more next year.

You can add pulled weeds to the compost pile or bin that you made previously, during Challenge #3. Just make sure the roots are left facing up, to dry out in the sun, and avoid any chance of re-rooting.

If you missed the previous challenge, it’s okay! Check it out in the archive here, and consider trying out a super simple compost pile setup.

Do you have questions about which weeds to pull, or need a second opinion on plant ID? Ask in the EarthCare Community Facebook group! We love every opportunity to learn together.

In community + resilience, 

Ps. If at this point you really want some 1:1 guidance in your landscape, to walk the land with an experienced steward who can answer questions, offer direction, and help you think about future goals - book a Land Walk Consult with Kendra!

If you're thinking about asking for help with projects this spring, now is the time to get on our schedule. We only offer advice + design support when we've had enough time to meet the land and understand its needs.

→ Click here to fill out 3 quick questions on this survey, and submit your booking request. Any questions? Hit reply! We're here for you. 

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