In the course of cleaning up weeds and garden debris, a lot of leaves end up in my compost heap. These are a good addition, along with "green" material, but you have to make certain that they are well mixed and don't end un in wads. This is particularly true if the season is dry. Wads of dry leaves stay that way. Rain water can't penetrate and the microbes won't work well on dry material, so you end up with wads of dry leaves in your otherwise finished compost.
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For an overview, on building a compost heap, see the composting slide set: DON'T BAG IT LEAF MANAGEMENT COMPOST |
I've talked about compost in earlier articles, but, in case you haven't read those, I'll stress again the importance of having a supply of compost. Even if your garden is minute, you can make compost in barrel. If you have more room, there are many ways to build a compost heap. It is absolutely essential as well as being environmentally friendly.
In addition to "leaf management" and the annual ritual of cleaning up houseplants and placing them in their winter homes, putting my garden to bed includes finding places for the hardy plants I grow in pots. Some of these are youngsters not large enough to fend for themselves in the border. Some are anxiously awaiting permanent homes in one of my unfinished projects. I sink the larger pots to the rim in sand or mulch holding beds and bring the smaller ones into my "pseudo" greenhouse. This is a plastic covered A-frame over a garage door. It's small, but it stays above freezing and assures that my pot babies will make it through the winter. I used to keep most pots in my plunge beds, but a few winters ago, we had ice storms followed by melt periods that turned the pots into watery graves for most of the plants. So I've learned my lesson!
I also have a sunken cold frame that I used to winter pots in. Over the years, it's gotten full of things that have rooted into the sand base and haven't been moved, plus, I found it hard to monitor. A closed frame can heat up quickly on a cold, sunny day and cook the plants in it. Frames are excellent for wintering plants, if you can put them where you can easily tend them when the snow is deep. The alternative is to install an automatic vent opener, a little chore I've never gotten around to doing.
