The Dirt On Fall Gardening

Too wet today to do much outdoors. I did collect some leaves yesterday and laid some of them out to press, but I wanted to get some more today…another day but not that many days left for the leaves to be viable for printing. I was able to get a lot of oak leaves from the downed trees out back in the past couple of weeks. I think they’ll be great printers if I can ever get to it again. I have to take it slow and rest about as much as I work but at least I can get some things done. There are so many end-of-season chores to do. I’ll be doing them until snow forces me indoors. 

Drum rolls now – I’ve been waiting for months to do this next project! I placed a lot of very large pieces of cardboard into my garden. Right now the leaves are falling and piling on top of it. Over that I have begun to spread organic compost. Sadly, the one yard was not nearly enough. I ordered two more yards and thankfully, my son Dennis will get to spread that out for me. It will cover all of the cardboard and by next Summer, the suppressed weeds and all the cardboard will turn into more rich compost. And that will all be covered with 3 yards of wood chips. Should you be interested in starting a new garden yourself. here’s a good, quick tute that can set you off in the right direction from the get-go. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LH6-w57Slw&t=1s

When I first began this endeavor, I just threw myself into it and didn’t plan much. For that time, it was ok. I’m not beating myself up for it. I’ve pulled a zillion weeds, but what’s more important is that I watched to see what came up of its’ own accord and then identify it – not as easy as one might think but with persistence I’ve learned a lot of and about native and non-native plants.

As I weeded out the invasives, new native plants made their home here: Goldenrods, Copperleaf and Bee Balm.

Paying as much attention to the plants that came up out in the back “lawn,” I culled from it quite a few beautiful natives that I was surprised and delighted to see and I transplanted them, with varying degrees of success, to the front native garden. Just a few of these are Hayscented Fern, Sensitive Fern and Fleabane.

Fleabane, Erigeron annuus

Sensitive Fern, Onoclea sensibilis, transplanted 3 years ago and has grown and thrived

That top left dark purplish thing is the flower and seeds that I saw for the first time, so I guess we can expect s few more of these ferns next year.

Transplanted last year, the Hayscented Fern, Dennstaedtia punctilobula is still alive but much slower to to progress than the sensitive fern Not so sure it will actually make it

I’m just at the point now where the “native garden” is actually beginning to look like it might turn into something. More on that coming soon.