posted 11 years ago
The winter garden is damp and the trees are bare... the grass is covered with the darkened sodden mass of fallen leaves, that didn't get raked into the compost... There they are, choking off the light and air from the soil, stifling the grass and plants, making you wonder if you should have put in some effort to tidy everything and leave the ground clear for the winter -
but fallen leaf litter will not necessarily be wasted if not gathered up for the compost. The worms will drag it down, like they do grass cuttings - and it will rot away in situ to enrich the soil. The layer of leaf-mould breaking down into humus will keep the fallen seeds warmer and provide them with moisture and nourishment in which to germinate, and the bulbs will be ready to draw on it for their spring display.
There's a bonus! Have you noticed how, although mud sticks to your boots, soggy leaf-litter just leaves them wet and shining? It's marvellous stuff, and will so much lighten and texturize the soil. So, be a lazy gardener in the Autumn and early winter - the land will be happier - you don't shear sheep in the autumn do you? Whether you garden for the pleasure of helping a forest generate, or whether you trail blaze or convert the available space for crops and grazing, remember, the earth has her habits that are never haphazard, something always benefits from all she does. Mamatrix
Interested in prospect of wwoofers coming to in summer to work on land/ building cob/ strawbale/ bamboo etc structures (600 sq metres, 0.6 hectare)
rocket stove in garden to fire earth-kiln for raku - also as bread oven! have potters kick-wheel. Build water feature, establish veg beds - and raised beds email me yr experience
