Today Suzy at Chiot's Run posted of the "death blow" in gardening. It was brilliant to show the contrast pictures of summer to late fall.
Living in Canada, putting up all the vegetables eaten through the winter, I never seem to have that moment to put the garden to bed.for the winter I am sure it happens, between the canning and the dishes and sowing seed for next spring. recognizable the instant it is too late. Perhaps I am a lazy gardener fooling myself into thinking a dead garden can be beautiful, but I leave the skeletons on all my plants to stand in the snow in ode to the plants which produced the food which now sustains my family. It also is a good marker in spring for where plants are, also the dead plant material makes the perfect fertilizer for the plant that produced it. The other benefit is being able to watch the little birds frolic in the stems taking so much delight in finding seeds to eat when everywhere is covered with now. Thanks for the post and the chance in share my ideas, peace for all
I actually like your idea of leaving the garden to rot where it stands, and have left one bed of my own to "check it out"....and see what starts on its own in the spring.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe the summer was so short this year...........