Well this weekend was time to clean up the garden. I had pulled up all the spent plants weeks ago. I should have done all the rest of this already but it's just been so hot and my time has been limited by other obligations, I just didn't get to it.
With cooler(ish) weather, this weekend was time.
All the beds looked like this. Plants gone but the straw mulch was still there and, though I had already done it when I took this picture, some random weeds and grass in every bed too.
The first thing I did was pull up all the weeds and then I raked up the straw and disposed of it. I put it in my garden cart and took it to a wooded area and scattered it around. Waste not!
Next I broke up the old soil and added a small bag of compost and a large bag of raised bed blend soil.
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| 4 x 4 raised bed |
Then I just mixed it all up with a shovel and smoothed it out.
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| 4 x 8 raised bed |
Here's the long raised bed after I did it. I left the chives in the middle because they are perennials and the row will make a nice way to separate the areas for future plantings.
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| Raised garden beds end of Summer |
Here's another shot. The back four beds before I had raked up all the straw mulch.
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| Raised garden beds |
And after...all cleaned and freshened up with new soil. We're hoping the wind will blow away all the straw that blew out onto the ground, ha.
They are ready for planting and/or closing up for Winter. More on that tomorrow.
The beds look great! Want to come to Alabama?
ReplyDeleteGood job. My husband racked up leaves from our heritage birch tree and ground them up in The Worx. Then laid dumped them on flower bed. I wet them down when I watered the plants. High 60s this weekend and no rain in sight. I need to plant my crocus bulbs soon. Always something to do in or outside, huh? Pop over to my blog once in awhile if ya have a chance to visit! Happy week!
ReplyDeleteLooks very neat and tidy and fresh - all ready for your Fall/Winter garden!
ReplyDeleteGreat job and they look really nice; already for your next planting
ReplyDeleteGood job done for the year,all ship shape now.
ReplyDeleteAll of your mulch could have been dug into the soil, it would provide nutrients and add moisture retaining fibre as well as keep the soil aerated to encourage beneficial earth worms.It breaks down with the help of busy microbes and insects, over the course of a few months.
Have fun with your next lot of planting.