It is that time of year once again to prepare the raised beds and all the gardens for the winter.
If you are wondering what all the light-colored stuff is on top of the dirt, it is torn-up egg cartons. I save all of the cardboard paper holders from paper towels, bathroom tissue, and egg cartons all year round. As I feel like it, I will shred them by hand and keep them in a large bag until I spread them all on top of my beds.
Also, I save all of my eggshells throughout the year. I wash, dry them, and save them in bags. When I have a substantial amount saved up I put them through my Vitamix blender and turn them into a crushed powder. I will keep them in a large mason jar until the fall when I sprinkle them on top of my gardens. This gives the eggshells time to break down and add a nice amount of Calcium into the beds.
I save enough over the winter months to be able to put some into each hole when planting my tomatoes and peppers. The plants really like the extra bit I give them.
My husband has been making a few trips to a horse farm to get some aged manure. We have added it to every garden except the raspberry patch. They have to be cut back and thinned out before he gets a load for them.
The farmer is so nice to let us come every year and we are able to take as much as we need. I think the farmer loves chatting with my husband every time he is there. I have to say it is getting a little harder for him to do it, but, he says he will continue to get it for me as long as he is able.
I started putting the manure on in the fall a few years ago as I found it easier on the plants. It gives the beds a chance to continue breaking down and adding nutrients over the winter months. We still have leaves that we will mulch from our trees once they begin to fall in November. Those will also be added on top and then I will gently mix all the layers together.
The butterfly garden has been cleaned out and the manure is down. It is so nice to be able to have the soil topdressed and prepared for the spring season. It always amazes me to see how wonderful the plants respond to everything we add to the soil. We do our best to grow everything as organic as possible.
The weather is taking a turn now so it is time to enclose the porch with 6mm transparent plastic.
We do this every year to keep the snow off the porch and it helps to keep the cold north wind from hitting the sliding glass door to our kitchen. We have found that it is much warmer in the kitchen since we started doing this years ago.
The task is completed and I am sitting on the porch with a hot cup of cocoa. It is only 55°F and I am comfy and cozy without the wind blowing in on me. Sometimes in the winter on a nice sunny day, I will come out and sit on the porch to enjoy some fresh air. It is so nice to be able to do that during the long winter months.
Well, another day is here and I have to work on the raspberry patch today. It is the last bed that needs attending to and it is going to be a nice sunny day. Regards to everyone and enjoy your weekend.
Until next time, this is Sunscape
Sun. Scape. Ing Your Day
