Putting the Garden to Bed

 

The last of the vegetables hang on the plants, a few straggling eggplants. I look forward to making a pan of eggplant parmesan.

Now my duties involve cleaning out the raised beds in preparation for next year’s crops. My first job was to strip the plant debris from one bed to set up a cold frame, a mini greenhouse. I bought a lovely kit from Austria, a well-made product. Although it was a bit unwieldy for a single assembler, I accomplished the task. Note: (not in the photo) I repositioned the frame over a square-foot grid and zip-tied it to the grid to prevent the apparatus from flying away during one of our brisk winds.

Soon I will plant spinach and lettuce within the frame so we can enjoy some fresh greens during the winter months.

The first step to putting the garden to bed is to remove debris and spent foliage. Pea and bean nitrogen-fixing plant roots can be left in place to feed the new spring crops; simply cut the plants off at soil level.

If the plants were diseased, throw them in the garbage, however, if not, chop the residual stems and leaves into smaller chunks and add them to your compost bin.

Take time to weed. It’s easy in my raised beds.

After the garden has been cleaned out and gone dormant, replenish the soil with compost: mix it into the top 4–6 inches of the beds. It’s best to do this in the fall so the microorganisms can break down the components during winter. It also makes Spring planting easier.

If you garden, start (or continue) a garden notebook. Make note of where various plants were located this season, so you can plan next year’s plantings. Crop rotation is crucial to avoid pest entrenchment and soil nutrient depletion.

Once the hard work is completed, one can look forward to the winter onslaught of garden catalogues. Will you be planning a garden for next spring?

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