How to use fall leaves in the garden

Every year the fall season presents us with a gift we can put to good use to improve our garden beds. Autumn leaves are packed with organic matter and nutrients that can serve as a natural soil amendment and mulch. Improving your garden soil is something that needs to happen on an ongoing basis. 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.

 An easy way to put fall leaves to work is to rake them up and scatter them across the surface of your garden, then cover them with organic Earth Essentials Sheep, Peat and Compost.  Through the course of the winter, the leaves will break down and merge with the compost. 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. To speed up the composting process, use your mower or leaf blower attachment to shred the leaves. The resulting smaller pieces will breakdown faster in your garden. Add organic Earth Essentials Sheep, Peat and Compost, then dig in five to six inches.  

Autumn leaves can be used to mulch perennials. Mulching will help keep the ground stable and retain moisture. Mulching perennials should be done after the ground is cold, usually around Thanksgiving.  Now's the time to put those beautiful fall leaves to work. You'll have a healthier, more productive garden next season. 

Plant Spring Color Now

Spring-flowering bulbs are an easy way to add early color to your garden. Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and Dutch iris are available in a variety of colors and bloom times and with a little planning, you can experience color starting in March through late April and sometimes into early May. Actual bloom time will vary season to season, depending on the spring weather, where the bulbs are located in the landscape and planting depth. Bulbs planted near the house or other sources of reflected heat will bloom sooner than bulbs planted in the garden, where the sun hasn’t warmed the soil sufficiently to promote flowering. 

The bulb selection process starts the information printed on each box. There you’ll find the bulb type and bloom time. For a progression of color through the early part of the season, select bulbs from each bloom time: early, mid and late. If you prefer to have a single burst of color, select bulbs from the same bloom times. Choose quality bulbs. Bigger bulbs contain more food energy which means they will produce stronger plants with more impressive flowers. 

While you’re at it, pick up a bag of Dutch Bulb Food. Planted now, bulbs will begin to root and the bulb food will help build a strong root structure. The great thing about bulbs is their adaptability. You can tuck them in amongst existing perennials, in the rose bed or along the borders of your garden. Choose sites where your bulbs will receive at least six hours of sunlight. Bulbs will do okay in partial shade, but bloom best in full sun. Plant bulbs pointed side up, at a depth that’s equal to three times the bulb’s height. For example, a two-inch bulb should be planted six inches deep. 

For best visual effect, plant bulbs in clusters of three or more, spaced three to four inches apart. Mark the spot where they are planted, so you’ll remember where they are next spring. Water the site thoroughly. The only maintenance through the winter is to water every four to five weeks. Come spring, you’ll experience a profusion of colors, signaling the beginning of the end of winter.  

Time to Put the Garden to Bed

Our recent hard frost is the signal it’s time to put the vegetable garden to bed, a process which includes a complete clean up, improving the garden soil and preparing for next spring. It’s important to remember that what you don’t accomplish in the garden now, you’ll need to do in the spring, when you’re eager to start your garden, not clean it up. Garden chores done now, allow you to focus on planting in the spring, knowing that your garden beds are healthy and your soil is ready. Start with a thorough cleaning of your vegetable garden.  Leaving tomato plants, cucumber vines and other vegetable plant debris in your garden after you've finished harvesting, will provide hiding places for pests and plant diseases, giving them a head start on your garden next spring. The second reason for fall cleanup is to facilitate adding organic material to your garden bed while the soil is warm and workable. 

Healthy soil is key to your garden and a clean garden bed is the ideal time to amend your soil. Plan to add 2" to 3" of organic materials. This can be in the form of packaged organic compost, peat moss and earthworm castings that you can easily transport and work into the garden bed. Adding organic material will improve soil structure and increase microbial activity, which leads to stronger root development and improved nutrient uptake, next season. This is also a good time to apply a one-inch layer of humate, to improve crop nutrient uptake next season. Three, protect your garden soil through the winter with cover crops and mulch.  Winter rye is a good choice for a cover crop. It will survive harsh weather and can be turned over in the spring, improving soil tilth. 

Tree leaves are a good source of organic material in the fall. Shredded leaves can be broadcast over the garden, providing protection for soil structure and microbial life. Come spring, the decomposing leaves can be worked into the garden soil or added to your compost pile. Together, cover crops and organic material will build and maintain healthy, microbial-rich soil, a sure way to improve the yields in your garden.  Make fall garden clean up a part of your routine. It will set up your vegetable garden for a great start next spring.   

Now’s the time to feed your Lawn

October’s weather is bringing about a change in your lawn.  The grass isn't growing as vigorously, there's less top growth and typically, you're mowing less frequently. While top growth has slowed down, grass roots are still very active storing nutrients and moisture, getting ready for the winter season.  All this activity at the root level makes this an important time to feed your lawn. In fact, if you only fertilize once a year, now’s the time to do it. Applying a winterizer fertilizer now benefits your lawn in two ways. 

Winterizer fertilizers contain both Nitrogen and Potash, to build hardiness into grass stems and roots. By strengthening the grass root system, your lawn will be better prepared to survive the rigors of winter. Second, the slow release Nitrogen component in winterizer fertilizer will ensure there’s enough food available for a quicker green-up and stronger top growth early in the spring season. For even better results, add granular humate to your lawn before you fertilize. 

Granular humate will break down clay, improve soil structure and increase microbial activity in the soil. Humate will also help your grass take up nutrients more effectively and stay greener with less water. HuMic is an excellent source of granular humate. For best results, apply humate first, then winterizer. Water the lawn thoroughly after applying humate and winterizer. Aerating the lawn this time of year helps overcome compaction and makes it easier for the fertilizer and organic material to get down to the roots.  You can do aeration yourself or hire it done. Just make sure you get a good core extraction. Over the next few weeks, gradually lower your mower's height so that the last cutting will be about two- and one-half inches tall. 

During the winter, use a simple sprinkler to water your lawn. This will also benefit the trees and shrubs planted in or near your lawn. Winter watering is especially important where the lawn and trees are surrounded by sidewalks and streets. Do this when the temperature is above 40°F. Taking these steps now will help ensure a healthier lawn next spring.