How to use autumn leaves to improve your garden

 

Continuous improvement is the way to ensure soil health, structure and fertility, all of which lead to improved crop yields. Good things happen when you add organic material to your garden soils on a regular basis. Clay soils become more workable, sandy soils retain water more effectively, earth worm populations go up, microbial activity increases, and the overall health and balance of your soil improves. The result is better plant nutrient uptake and improved tomato and vegetable yields, next season. 

Now is an excellent time to work on improving your garden soil. The soil is warm, it’s easy to add organic amendments, and this time of year we have the added benefit of an abundance of autumn leaves.    

 

Bagging leaves and throwing them in the trash creates a lot of unnecessary waste. These same autumn leaves could be used to make your crops grow better, by improving your soil.  Here’s how.  

 

Autumn leaves are one of the best sources of organic materials around. Packed with organic material, carbon and other nutrients, autumn leaves serve as a natural soil amendment, an organic mulch and a compost pile ingredient. 

 

An easy way to put autumn leaves to work is to rake them up and scatter them across the surface of your garden or raised bed, then cover them with three to four inches of Earth Essentials Sheep, Peat and Compost.  Through the winter the leaves will break down. Come spring, use your garden fork to work the resultant rich compost into your garden's soil.    

Another option would be to incorporate the leaf material into the garden now. 

Spread the leaves out over the garden bed, cover with three to four inches of Earth Essentials Sheep, Peat and Compost and dig the mixture in six to eight inches.     

To speed up the process, mow the lawn with the catcher in place or use your leaf blower with bag attachment to shred and catch the leaves, as opposed to raking. The resulting smaller pieces will break down faster in your garden or compost pile, plus shredding helps prevent the leaves from packing together into layers that water and air can’t penetrate.    

 

Once the ground is cold – usually around Thanksgiving, you can apply a layer of shredded leaves and compost around each perennial. Mulching will help retain moisture and protect plants from winter temperature fluctuations.    

  

Autumn leaves are a great source of carbon when added to your compost pile. Leaves count as "browns" in making compost. A good ratio of browns and greens is about 4:1 brown (carbon) to greens (nitrogen). Adding leaves in thin (2" to 3") layers will help the compost pile stay warm and working during the winter.    

 

At the end of a beautiful autumn, it seems only fitting we put those fallen leaves to work in the garden. You'll have a healthier, more productive garden next season.     

 

Plant These Little Bulbs for Early Spring Color

  

When planning which bulbs to plant for the spring garden, tulips, and daffodils are the varieties that most often come to mind. It’s true. Tulips and daffodils are the mainstays of the flowering garden in April and May, but there is a group of bulbs that bloom much earlier in the season. Planting these little bulbs now will extend the bloom season in your landscape from late winter into early spring.   

Perfect for planting in groups, little bulbs, such as crocus, snowdrops, grape hyacinths, and dwarf iris bloom in late February and early March to kickstart spring and extend its season.  

Regardless of the variety of bulbs you choose, all bulbs will do best when planted in well-amended soil, in a sunny spot in the garden. Well-amended soil is best achieved when locally produced, organic products are added to the existing soil at a 50:50 ratio. Produced in Platteville, Earth Essentials Organic Compost or Sheep, Peat and Compost are excellent products to add to the planting site.   

  

Once the soil is prepared, dig in some Dutch Bulb Food. Added at planting time, this fertilizer will improve rooting and bulb growth. When it comes to planting, a good rule of thumb is to plant bulbs to a depth of three times their height. A one-inch crocus bulb should be buried three inches deep, as measured from the shoulder. Another trick to control bloom time is to add two or three inches of mulch to the bed. This will keep the ground cold and slow down blooming.   

  

Knowing which side of the bulb goes up is also important. In some cases, the tapered end of the bulb is the top; the bottom is flatter and often shows evidence of roots. For smaller bulbs, generally the flat side goes down. Look for evidence of roots. The root side goes down. 

In this illustration, the two bulbs on the left are right side up. The one on the right shows the root side.  The flat side goes down when you plant them.  

  

  

One of the first spring flowers to bloom is Dutch crocus, which adds bright, bold color to the very early spring landscape. Crocuses prefer direct sun and thrive in sites that get at least 6–8 hours a day.   

  

Muscari, known as grape hyacinths, are hardy spring bloomers that produce blue or purple flowers that look like bunches of grapes, hence the common name. They will do well in the sun or semi-shade and spread naturally. Grape hyacinths offer support for bees in early spring.  

Iris reticulata also known as Dutch iris offer early spring color in the garden.

For best effect, little bulbs should be planted in clusters, not lined out in rows.  Check your bulbs throughout the winter. They should be watered every four to five weeks, along with the rest of the trees and shrubs in your landscape.