I had the opportunity to travel to South Carolina this past weekend to observe some southern lawns. The trip was part of a nationwide research project I'm conducting as background information for a book I'm writing on organic lawn care.
I'm happy to report that organic gardening techniques work every bit as well in the South as they do up here in the Northeast . . . and I must admit I enjoyed the warmer weather, a range of daytime temperatures from 64 to 88.
When I returned home Monday the change in my garden was startling. The season's first frost finally hit southern Maine on Oct. 20, making this the latest frost date in history for this area.
Annual flowers and vegetables that normally would have been pulled out of the ground a few weeks ago were able to persist, but now the yard is covered in blackened foliage. The compost pile will fill up in a hurry this week.
As I sit down to create my to-do list for the month ahead, I figured I'd share it with all of you.
1) I'll rake up the leaves of all my healthy roses and shrubs and add them to the compost pile — but if you have any diseased plants such as peonies with botrytis blight (black areas at the time of blossom), or roses with blackspot, or hollyhocks with rust, don't add these to the compost pile. Take them to a far corner of the property or dispose of them in the trash instead.
2) I'll mow the lawn lower, about two and a half inches, in preparation for the final mowing of the year at about two inches.
3) I'll rake leaves from the lawn as they fall and shread them with my mower before adding them to the compost pile. Shredded leaves also make good mulch.
4) I'll inspect all my trees and shrubs for fall tent caterpillars and remove any of the webs. You can often simply prune out affected areas without damaging the plant overall.
5) I'll harvest the remainder of the apples and pears. One note, though: Be sure not to store apples or pears with vegetables. The fruits give off ethylene gas, which will cause the vegetables to taste funny and quickly spoil.
6) I'll continue to harvest and eat my strawberries. Yes, the everbearing 'Tristar' berries that I planted last spring are still blossoming and providing a daily handful of berries even as we approach November.
7) I'll bring in hoses that can freeze and crack and I'll begin to winterize and clean summer gardening tools.
8) Plants are at their lowest prices of the year now at garden centers, especially trees and shrubs. I'll be looking for deals. My trees and shrubs went in the ground last year on Nov. 15 and they all made it through their first winter just fine.
9) I'll be spreading the bulk load of compost I had delivered from Winterwood Farm here in Maine. Since my gardens are new, I'm using compost as my primary mulch this winter. It will build up the soil for future seasons.
10) Birds are eating feverishly in preparation for winter. I'll stock up on seed and put out a few more feeders in my front windows.
Paul Tukey - October 25, 2005.
