Putting the Garden to Bed

Last year, right around this time, I was struggling to muster the energy to garden. All my annuals were on their last gasp — some were gross and slimy, and others would be in that stage soon. But then my friend (and incredibly gardener) Kathryn gave me a reframe that has stuck with me: you’re putting the garden to bed, giving it the means to have a nice, deep sleep and wake up so refreshed and eager in the Spring.

So what are you doing to give your garden that much-deserved rest? I’m harvesting sweet pea seeds (following Floret’s instructions); I’m finishing up with the sheet mulching I talked about last week; I’m letting my perennials die back (and leaving the dead stuff for the critters/bugs for the winter); I’m planting my newly-arrived tulip bulbs and getting all of my tools ready for when I dig my dahlias (after the first big frost). I’m clipping a bunch of my hydrangea blooms to dry in the house over the winter. Oh, and I’m doing the dirty work of getting the annuals out of their containers — my least favorite job of all.

Tell us what you’re doing, what you wonder if you should be doing, what you’ve decided not to do this year….and answer questions from the rest of the community. This space is valuable because of the time we spend asking and answering questions, and I’m so grateful to be putting the garden to bed alongside all of you.