Thinking of Spring

Not much time for garden cleanup this week. As I cleanup I dream of spring.

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I managed to get some compost on the garden from my little compost bin – 3 wheelbarrows of wonderful black organic matter to be exact.

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Leaf raking is in full swing. A pile of leaves, chopped and collected with the mower will help produce next year’s compost.

A few more plants need to be cleaned up.

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The hostas are a mushy mess.

Some lilies need to be cut back.

The garden phlox is waiting to be lopped off.

There is more to do before the snow arrives but I’ve got a good start for spring.
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Leaf Trick

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I apologize for posting a day late. This blog started out as a complaint against Mother Nature. No matter how many times I rake the leaves out of the corners and from under bushes, she insists on blowing a new bunch right back.

Then I read the Susan Harris’ post “The Great Dead-Leaf Debate – who knew?” at Sustainable Gardening blog. Susan presents the alternatives in 2 parts.

Susan also mentions the “leaf it be” movement. You know - letting leaves decompose where they fall

Here are my reasons why I will never be part of the “leaf it be” movement:

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- When I worked on farms, no one had the time or the energy to worry about leaves (although we did sometimes clean up the perennial beds). We were too busy tossing bales, feeding animals and cleaning up after animals. The leaves had to take care of themselves. That was then and this is now. It’s different in city life.

- Leaves accumulated in corners do no good. They make a slimy, messy pile and a perfect hiding place for rodents and insects.

- A rug of maple leaves on the lawn will smother grass. It may do the same to groundcovers and perennials. Even though we’ve reduced the size of our lawn over the years, we still need a place for kids to play kick ball and throw a Frisbee. So we need some lawn. We leave some shredded leaves on the lawn but there are way too many to shred them all.

- Leaves block storm drains and cause flooding. It’s a driving hazard. I’ve seen it happen. . (There’s nothing more foul than a flooded, stagnant intersection with rotting leaves floating on top.)

- Leaves on sidewalks become slippery when wet. I don’t want to see granny with feet flying above her head.

- Leaves stuck in tender shrubs by the whimsical wind do not decompose. They have to be picked out by hand. They look messy and will still be there when we harvest the tomatoes next summer.

- Leaves can rot wooden decks. Decks are too expensive to let rot.

- And, raking is good exercise on a crisp, fall day. It promotes family togetherness. (The younger family members may try to make grownups feel guilty at their forced servitude with a rolling of eyes and deep sighs. Don’t fall for it.)

My compost bin is full. I have a large pile of leaves to add all year.

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If I can’t use all the leaves from my yard, why not let the city make compost for everyone? We picked up a nice truckload this fall. And, it’s is so much better than dumping them in the landfill.

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Leaf Eater

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We’ve been busy the last two weeks – hording fallen leaves faster than a squirrel hordes nuts.

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We shredded and bagged fallen leaves with our trusty old Lawn Boy. Then we dumped the shreddings into the compost bin. We also piled leaves next to the bin. Next summer I’ll add a layer of leaves to the bin every now and then.

Our compost bin is full and I’m a happy gardener. Sometimes it doesn’t take much to make a gardener happy.

I have to admit I’m lazy when it comes to making compost. I don’t obsess over percentage of green versus brown or nitrogen/carbon ratios. My grandmother made compost before we knew about the carbon/nitrogen ratio.

I use garden waste, kitchen vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and leaves. I add a little water from time to time. I add a little soil sometimes to discourage gnats. I turn it once in a while.

I know the proper mix helps the pile break down faster but I’m not in a hurry. Fortunately, I can pick up finished compost at the city compost center.

Doug Green has some good information on cold composting. If you want to take it a step further, Doug’s hot composting explains how to heat up the pile for quicker compost.

Virginia Cooperative Extension and Purdue University Extension have more in-depth instructions.

Compost is great for the garden and improving the soil. It keeps yard waste out of the land fill. I also use it to make compost tea.

Is it worth the effort? I can only comment on my garden. Over the years my garden soil has become dark and loamy. Plants thrive. And, the price is right -- free.

It’s a deal that’s too good for me to pass up.

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Waiting for the Leaves to Fall …

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… is like waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The garden is almost all cleaned up for this year. The hostas are frost bit and will soon turn into mush. Being a lazy gardener, I wait for the mush stage and then rake them out of the garden.

The maple and locust trees are still very green. The dogwood leaves have a pretty reddish tint. The sweet shrub is turning yellow. None of them seem to be willing to let go of their leaves. It will be another month until all the leaves are raked, shredded and composted.

The slow-down will help me slip into my Winter-Gardener mode.

The Winter Gardener lives in my mind. The Winter Gardener plans gardens, reads gardening books and catalogues, researches plants and gardening, annoys house plants, visits public gardens and flower shows, studies plants and insects, learns about plant disease, organizes plant files. I’ll have a lot to do this winter.

I hope it doesn’t include shoveling snow.

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Compost

A blizzard of leaves covered the yard like golden snow.

Our maple trees hold on to their leaves longer than any tree in our neighborhood. We had a cold night last Friday (27 degrees) and all the leaves seemed to drop at once. Well, most of them.

We ran over the leaves with the lawn mower. Then we raked and carried the chopped leaves to the compost bin. When the bin was full, we made a pile under an evergreen tree. The balance made a pile in the gutter to be picked up by the city to add to the community compost pile. I love recycling.

I can almost hear those leaves turning into black gold. And the price is right (if you don’t mind a little work).