Last Call for Fall: Southeast Garden Opportunities
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| Photo Credit: Megan Bame |
| These Echinacea seed heads would be easy to prune off, but I’d rather leave them for the birds to find. (But the weeds around them should be pulled so as not to spread weed seed.) | There are many garden chores – or perhaps we’d prefer to call them “opportunities” – that are most easily accomplished during a certain window of time. In the Southeast, the fall-gardening window is open for at least three months (September through November), but in many cases we can stretch a little in either direction. None the less, that window will eventually close for the season, and we don’t want to be caught with too many chores left undone. So let’s see what specific tasks might well-deserve your attention in the next month: - Leaves! Leaves! Leaves! Whether you rake, vacuum, mow or mulch, the important thing is to get those fallen leaves off your lawn. Now, what can you do with all those leaves? (See No. 2.)
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| Photo Credit: Megan Bame |
| Pellet rabbit food (not rabbit poo, which might also be called “pellets”), is a relatively inexpensive source of nitrogen to promote hot composting. | - Make compost! Compost requires a carbon source (brown stuff) and a nitrogen source (green stuff). The challenge is having enough green when you have brown and visa versa. Here’s an easy trick: Use pellet rabbit food as your nitrogen source and dead leaves as your carbon source. Alternate layers of fallen leaves, rabbit food and water in a compost bin. (A bin can be easily constructed by making a cylinder using a 12-foot length of 2- x 4-inch welded wire.) Turning isn’t required, but it does speed the process. Start making your compost now, and in 6-12 months your compost will be ready to improve your soil.
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| Warnings |
- Always use caution when sharpening the blades of garden tools. If you’re uncomfortable sharpening them yourself, take them to a professional.
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| Faqs |
- Q: Do I need to turn my compost pile?
A: Turning isn’t required, but it does speed the process. If you turn the pile once every three weeks, your compost will be ready in about 14 weeks. (If the center of the pile is dry, add water when turning.) If you don’t turn at all, your compost will be ready in 6-12 months.
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| Tools |
- If you have pecan trees, invest in a pecan cracker that’ll remove the shells without crushing the nuts. Not only does it save time, it eliminates hand cramps…though your grip strength might suffer.
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Next Steps
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Articles
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Rake Your Fall Leaves!
If you’ve got a yard with lots of trees, raking leaves is familiar work. Whether you mulch your leaves or rake them into piles, it’s an important job that keeps your yard looking good – and your lawn healthy!
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Create Your Own Compost
Composting is a simple way to get maximum plants. Just find a good spot, add the right ingredients and mix! (Your garden will thank you for it.)
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Winter is for the Birds
Don’t cut off those dead-looking flowers just yet! The seed heads of these spent blooms are a natural food source for our feathered friends.
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