Putting the garden to sleep

I usually do the normal stuff. Cutting back the perennials, mulching and such. But something I do that many others do not is... amend the soil. The nutrients that were taken from the soil need to be replenished. I make my own compost so I use it where ever possible. Next comes green sand, bone meal, blood meal as well as a good dose of organic liquid fertilizer. I also plant daffodil and tulip bulbs in the fall.

I put raked leaves and grass on my strawberries, but did not do this year. They kind of blew that way. I was thinking of singing, "Lullabye and Goodnight" or "Rockaby Baby on a Treetop," but the neighbors would think I am funny. We have mostly perennials since my husband does not want to keep planting annuals, although I plan to get some tomato plants in boxes. Maybe I will get some lettuce and plant an herb box as well.

Putting the "bed to sleep" is an ongoing thing. I keep throwing on organic materials the garden though out the year and digging it in to the ground in the spring time. I try to put straw on the garden when the plants are growing and put the organic material under the straw to decompose during the growing season. I will pile the tree leaves up on the garden and run the lawn mower over them several time to break them down t o small pieces so that they can decompose faster and enrich the soil better. This will act like a sponge and help to retain mooisture so that I do not have to water as ofter.