Cleanup Time

I've been spending (the little) time I have outdoors trying to get the garden ready for winter. This post will be brief. The leaves are falling much faster now - they are primarily maple leaves as the black walnut trees are already bare. My compost piles are already overflowing with the shredded leaves and plant debris. I've been starting to save seeds from the salvias, zinnias and portulacas.

We've had a series of cold nights with temperatures dipping into the 30s. As much as I hate the cold weather, I'm hoping this cold spell kills the yellow jacket nest that is underground out front.

The cold frame is packed with lettuce and dandelion greens, and I started a small sowing of peas to grow inside as well. They have just started to sprout.

I'm starting to take stock of what worked, what didn't and what I should try differently next year. I'm considering scaling way back on growing vegetables and devoting more space to flowers. (I could always use more bouquets indoors!) Whatever vegetables I do break down and grow will most likely be in pots. (The fabric ones work well.) I liked the New Guinea impatiens out back and may go back to including wax begonias as well.

Back to raking leaves...