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Friday 14 November 2014

Putting the Garden to BED

Well ... the pressure is ON ... this is the only day (Saturday's forecast changed of course .. argh!),
We have to do the back garden clean up !
There was a hard frost last night and it is still chilly out .. a balmy? -2 in fact at 9 AM.
So .. we are waiting a little bit before bundling up and trying to get this mission done.
Usually I don't do an intense Fall clean up ... I leave the leaves on the border gardens to comfort them through winter.
BUT .. after all these years I have wondered if that was right when I see how leaves block moisture to the ground and keep said ground and plants "frozen" longer with that smothering insulation, as Spring try's it's best to arrive.
Therefore knowing how "antsy" I was to try out a new method, Garden PA was SO sweet and picked up mulch, plus dirt (to fill in lean areas) to see if my theory might just be the right one for the garden.
I really want to get this done and see next Spring if I see a difference.
I wanted to find one of my pictures to illustrate the garden going to bed.
I dug up an old one with a sleeping plaster face from Spring, quite a few years ago..but it is cute !


Good night sweet garden ... may your rest be peaceful and you wake up refreshed and beautiful !
Fingers crossed today will go well.
Tomorrow, and a few days hence I am sure, I will moan and groan but it will be worth it ;-)

8 comments:

outlawgardener said...

So sad to see the end of the growing season! I am interested to hear your spring report about your new method as I do what you've previously done, leaving leaves in place for winter. Hope your plan went well. That guy who got the mulch and soil is a keeper!

NanaDiana said...

Good luck with closing your garden up! I got most of ours done but have a service coming to take care of the leaves. I just couldn't do it this year. Good luck with your new mulch. Love the old plaster face,too- xo Diana

cheryl said...

I feel the same way Joy, it's almost depressing seeing such life and colour be turned into a vacant wasteland.
I too was one who left leaves on the beds but last year I cleaned them off and even after the winter we had I didn't lose one plant! This year I bagged 50+ bags for the pick-up hoping the slugs and snails that sucked the plants dry went with them, keeping trowels crossed with that.
I have loads of photos that will see me through winter with postings, plus there is always garden porn that soon shall be arriving in the mailbox.
Here's to an easy weekend with few sore muscles !

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello there Mr. TOG : )
I will certainly be doing a post comparing the two methods as to how the garden comes through our winter.
I would have laid down more soil and mulch though if I had been smart and stock piled it a bit .. next year I will be sure to do that!
Yes : ) my Garden PA is a keeper! LOL

Diana girl hello there ! Thank you: )
Yes the leaves ar a big pain because our Pacific Sunset maple has a gazillion of them and she doesn't want to drop them until she is the last tree in a 10 mile radius I am sure! BUT ? she is a beauty Spring and summer and shields us from sun and heat in the back garden so I love her. I can't find neat garden faces like that any more. BIG sigh!

Cheryl girl hello there : )
OMG .. you have so many bags that is amazing and wouldn't that be great to get rid of the slugs and snails like that? I agree trowels crossed indeed!
I already have some garden porn .. love the Stokes catalog even though I don't do seeds I love their gadgets!
Thanks girl .. I'm working on that: )

Anonymous said...

I'm interested in your theory myself as I have always left major garden clean up until spring. You will have to keep us posted...

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi Kathleen : )
Yup ... I always did my garden bed clean up in the Spring .. but had to try this method to see what would happen .. alot rested on snow covering early on but we are going to get warmer temps and rain next week so that makes me wonder if it will freeze as ice afterwards ... that could be tricky.

RobinL said...

It's always so sad to put the garden to bed for the winter! And then for winter to arrive early, and already bitter cold and snow? Argh, how will I make it to spring?

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Robin girl I am thinking the same thing .... how will I make it to Spring!
I have a lot of work to do on myself so I can be totally selfish and concentrate on that for these winter months ? haha