I went to the back yard woods yesterday and spent some time playing in piles of lovely leafy organic matter.
It was a perfect autumn day and the forest smelled duffy and rich.
When I was done, I had two bags full. I attached them to my rake and hoisted it all to my shoulders.
After thanking the trees, I was off.
With the bags swinging in a stiff north wind, I hauled my mulchy matter to the front yard, where our raised bed garden sits.
Then I spent some time in in the garden preparing it for winter.
While I planted two rows of garlic and set down a thick layer of hay overtop, a large flock of honking geese flew low overhead, on the way through patchy fog to a nearby lake.
Later, one of the biggest murmurations of starlings I have ever seen morphed and mingled as it flew overhead.
Back on task, I returned to the leaves.
I dumped the two bags into a tower in the middle of the garden, and raked them out to cover the soil.
Finally, to complete my winter garden tuck-in, I put down three rows of chicken wire to completely cover the 8 X 16 raised bed.
The wire does double duty. It will keep the leaves on the garden, and will keep the local cat gangs out.
I don't blame the cats, as annoying and unsanitary as poop where you grow your food is - a raised bed garden must, to them, look exactly like a dreamy super-sized litter box.
In conclusion, don't get rid of those leaves! Get out there, play in them, then put them to good use as a natural fertilizer in your yard.
No supply chain problems there - the trees dependably deliver year after year.
I also use the free bounty of the trees to mulch our winter garden - what a delight! We have many pecan trees and a few oaks, so we never run short. It is good to see a photo of your bedded down bed - snug and ready for winter. I am a big proponent of frugal gardening and hope others join us! -Erin
ReplyDeletePecan trees! Yum. When I am able I will take a crack at growing a walnut tree in my yard. A food forest would be a good investment.
DeleteI get sticks from the forest that I use for all kinds of things in the garden. The forest also provides leaves for mulch, and moss for storing carrots and beets in the fall.
Frugal gardening is where it is at as it makes it more accessible to more people. I would love to see a garden in every yard, like it used to be.