THE ISLAND
‘VEG IT UP’
Growing festival allows Islanders to explore meatfree eating.
We enjoy garden work in the fall best of all.
The cool air is a welcome relief, after the heat of summer, and there are not many bugs to speak of. This is a great time for cleaning up the garden, dividing perennials and caring for the lawn.
Reduce weeds and Feed the Soil.
Pull up the dead annuals and vegetables and add them to your compost bin. Rake leaves off the lawn and add them to the compost pile. They are also great as a winter mulch in the garden. Apply leaves to the surface of your garden soil 10 to 15 cm (four to six inches) deep. We spread fallen leaves as a winter mulch around most perennials. This insulates the soil and eliminates weeding early in spring. Every autumn, we also spread a layer of leaves 5 to 7 cm (2 to 2 ½ inches) deep over the entire vegetable garden. Come spring, we place newspaper about 25 to 30 pages thick over the entire area and pile 15 cm of triple mix or compost/soil mixture for planting. The newspaper and the leaves act as a great barrier to perennial weeds.
Composting Leaves
Large leaves such as maple and catalpa can form thick mats, keeping water and air from penetrating the compost. Other leaves, such as oak and beech, take a long time to break down: it is simply their nature to be tough. Chopping your leaves into small pieces speeds decomposition and increases air circulation to the soil.
Run them through a shredder or run over them with a lawn mower. A power mower with a grass catcher makes this task easier, as you can collect the shredded leaves as you go. Make sure that your mower is set at its highest setting, and keep in mind that dry leaves shred more easily.
Beef up Beds
Now is an excellent time to dig manure and compost into planting beds to condition and lighten up the soil for planting now and in the spring. Ensure that all plants, including small trees and shrubs, receive plenty of water before the ground freezes. Pay special attention to areas that do not easily receive natural rain water, such as beneath the eavestroughs.
Time for Lawn Fertilizer.
Autumn is the most important application of lawn fertilizer. A winterizing fertilizer should contain a moderate level of nitrogen to avoid a surge in growth. A lawn fertilizer with high potassium content builds a strong root system to condition the lawn for winter.
A thick healthy lawn is the best defense against weeds.
This is an excellent time of year to invest some effort in a great looking garden.