Preparations for next season

[Emmet Cummings]

Once the fifty miles-per-hour winds die down I plan to clear out the garden and give the dog more of the backyard. Any suggestions for preparing the soil for next year?

Thanks, Em

[canuckistani]

Simple. If you have any leaves, grass clippings, shredded b/w newsprint, compost, anything that was cleared out of the garden in terms of green manure, rake it on! The more, the better. Any manure could be spread now as well, even hot, all this will seep down over the coming months. No idea about what soil type or condition you have - or what you are clearing out but adding compostable biomass certainly won't hurt your soil come next season. John in western Canada

[Gary Woods]

I'm guessing you're in New York state, based on the address and the winds! (I'm still looking for some of the stuff that was on the front porch....). As another report said, anything organic you can lay your hands on, spread out to weather and rot. The more the merrier! I've still got some bok choi and leeks that need harvesting, and perhaps a light mulch on the garlic bed, with a little more to slow the freeze-thaw cycle once the ground really freezes. And Jerusalem Artichokes. Eating them combined with garlic should keep me out of the social whirl for a while!

Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at

Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1200' elevation. NY WO G

[TonyB]

I'm busy collecting and speading seaweed ready to dig in.

Tony

-- TonyB

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