It is raining today. Not so unusual if you live in the Midwest where I grew up but a bit off the norm for Southern California, at least this time of the year.
I love the rain. I like the way it sounds outside my office window this morning. I love the way it smells, so fresh and clean. Most of all, I love what it is doing in my garden. When I know we are scheduled for a rare Spring rain, I like to get out in the garden before the sky opens up. I take time to turn the soil around my plants so the rain is able to soak in more effectively. I put in any new plants so they can have a day or two of cool, damp weather before the warm SoCal sun returns. Even more important, I bust out the manure. Yes, I am old-school when it comes to fertilizer. I try to avoid chemicals as much as possible. Don’t like them in my yard. Don’t like them in my ocean. Most of all, don’t like them in my cat. Fido walks around in the garden, gets the chemicals on his paws and then licks it off. YUCK! So, it’s manure for me!
Manure has always been inexpensive at the store but they have lowered the price even more. Such a deal! I put my gloves on (I’m not THAT into manure!) and drag the bags to my yard and garden. Reaching into the bag, I break up the clumps and spread a layer of manure over my grass. I add it around my roses. I spread it in my flower beds. Then I wait for the rain to do its part. Drop by drop, the rain breaks up the manure and carries it into the soil. Between the rain and the manure, my garden plants and grass must feel like they are in paradise. Does the manure smell? Of course! It smells like Spring and that’s a Simple Joy any day!
I am beginning the process of preparing my garden and house for winter. While we don’t have cold or snowy winters in Southern California, we do get a lot of rain. Therefore, it is necessary to take steps to protect the garden and prepare it for the coming spring.
The fall work I do in the garden takes on a much slower pace than my spring activities. I always feeling in a hurry to get my plants in so I can sit back and enjoy them. Since I know it will be awhile before I see the fruition of my autumn work, I relax and enjoy it more.
I have scheduled a trip to the garden center and am preparing my list of needed items. Grass seed and fertilizer, ground cover bark and stone, and fall plants are my primary concern. I want to thatch our yard this year. The grass has become thick underneath and I want to clear it out before I begin reseeding. Bark and stone will go around the plants in the garden just after I put in my bulbs and fertilize.
Our climate allows me to put in plants this time of year that other climates would prohibit. Mums on both sides of the porch, surrounded by small pumpkins will complete the process. I can then sit back on the porch and enjoy the effort of my work. Garden is a simple joy but one that gives us great returns.
I am beginning the process of preparing my garden and house for winter. While we don’t have cold or snowy winters in Southern California, we do get a lot of rain. Therefore, it is necessary to take steps to protect the garden and prepare it for the coming spring.
The fall work I do in the garden takes on a much slower pace than my spring activities. I always feeling in a hurry to get my plants in so I can sit back and enjoy them. Since I know it will be awhile before I see the fruition of my autumn work, I relax and enjoy it more.
I have scheduled a trip to the garden center and am preparing my list of needed items. Grass seed and fertilizer, ground cover bark and stone, and fall plants are my primary concern. I want to thatch our yard this year. The grass has become thick underneath and I want to clear it out before I begin reseeding. Bark and stone will go around the plants in the garden just after I put in my bulbs and fertilize.
Our climate allows me to put in plants this time of year that other climates would prohibit. Mums on both sides of the porch, surrounded by small pumpkins will complete the process. I can then sit back on the porch and enjoy the effort of my work. Garden is a simple joy but one that gives us great returns.
Today I discuss ways to prepare your garden in autumn and get ready for winter. It’s a beautiful time of the year to work outside. Preparing your garden now makes things easier in the spring.
Fall into Gardening
