Monday, November 10, 2008

Fall leaves, Mother natures gold

For many of us fall is about raking leaves, or if you’re a kid running through piles of raked leaves. If you’re a gardener there is no need to let all this hard work go to waste. Autumn is anything but the time to stop gardening. Enjoy these crisp fall days while you get your garden put to bed. Leaf mould is a valuable amendment for your garden; Mother Nature does it all the time. Mulching your soil is one of the best ways to work with Mother Nature.

Leaf mould is different from compost in that the leaves are not fully broken down. Leaf mould can be created by piling leaves. When the pile shrinks, simply mulch your beds with it. I prefer to cheat, I run over my leaves with the lawn mower, and then apply them directly to the beds. Keep it at no more than 3-4 inches deep.

The only raking I do is to the leaves in my beds. I toss them on the lawn or driveway for mowing. Pulling leaves out of a bed just to add them back might seem like a waste of effort, but it is a good idea to do a final clean up and weed before you put your beds to rest. When the bed is clear, cut back your perennials pull out any summer annuals or veggies that are still hanging in, and get all those weeds out! A good thick layer of the leaf mould will deter further weed starts.

Mulching is not just to suppress weeds; it improves the over all condition of the soil. It is the single most beneficial thing you can do to make your garden bloom. You will be paid back ten fold for your efforts in saved labor, increased plant vitality, less need of water and fertilizer, and healthy plants are unlikely to develop pest and disease problems. .

No comments: