Leaves, Leaves, Leaves

16 years ago

Everyone in the neighborhood seemed to be outdoors mowing, yep in November, and raking leaves today. I had a humongous pile of pin oak leaves that had blown right in on the driveway, even though most of the leaves will be on that particular tree until spring. Plus there were leaves in the back from the Amur maples. I spent 2-3 hours raking and shredding leaves and ended up with my 45 gallon trash can filled to the top three times. I hate to even think how many bags of leaves that would have been if they hadn't been shredded, because they really do pack down once they're through the shredder. One trash can full went immediately as mulch to my late planted hostas. The other two trash cans full went to one of the compost bins. I expect I'll keep more back later to go on as additional mulch for the hostas once the ground has frozen.

Oh, and this was after spending the morning on a bird walk at Quarry Hill nature center, hosted by out local chapter of the Audobon Society. We didn't see so many birds as I expected, but it was just a great morning to be out walking. Frosty and sunny to begin with, then just sunny with bright blue skys and temps pushing up towards the 50's at that point (warmer later, of course).

How about the rest of you? How did you spend this (yet again) glorious late autumn day?

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Comments (5)

mnwsgal
16 years ago
Sounds like you had a great day. I try to fit birding in as often as I have time and appreciate those moments of surprise as when a flock of honking Canada geese flew overhead this evening.

The afternoon was spent planting pansies that Lowe's had for 25 cents each. These are rebound pansies that come back in the spring. These last two flats were added to ones that were planted earlier this fall. Had to rescue them, but the big question was where to plant them. Did the same thing last year and was happy to see the pansies in the early spring.

Also planted a few bulbs, cut back hostas and a few perennials, cleaned out pots of annuals, picked up fallen apples, filled bird feeders, cleaned bird bath, and bagged a few leaves, . It was a beautiful day for fall cleanup.

Tomorrow I will wash windows then blow and mulch leaves so I can fertilize the lawn. The new bed with late planted perennials is already mulched with leaves. Neighbors have been sharing their leaves with me but I need many more so will be cruising the neighborhood to pick up bags.

Next week will bring dahlias/calla lilies/cannas/ in pots down to the basement for the winter. Also will bring in the last of the plants that I want to winter over inside.

Bobbie
ginkgonut
16 years ago
Shredding leaves and mulching beds. Still waiting for the neighbors Norway Maple to drop it's leaves. That stupid tree takes forever and then the north wind this time of year blows them all into my yard. The tree is still green.

Emptied the fountain so it can dry out and be cleaned.

Broke down the brush pile for the city to haul away.

Watered most everything, especially the new stuff from this year and all the evergreens.

Put up a few cages to protect plants from the rabbits.

Set up my new grow lights in the basement.
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It would be difficult for some plants to come up through a layer of leaves that thick, while other plants would be just fine. Since you don't know what you have, I would rake the leaves out of the bed and then run them over with a lawnmower a few times. That will reduce the volume quite a bit and also help the leaves break down into compost much more quickly. Then you can return a nice thick layer back to that garden and any other areas that could do with a nice mulch. If you have more leaves than beds, then you could start a traditional compost pile, or put them on your lawn and run them over a few more times with the mower till they get chopped into tiny bits that can be left in place to break down and improve your lawn. A mulching mower or just installing a mulching blade on your existing mower would help accomplish this quickly. If nothing comes up you like in your shady side yard, allow me to recommend Japanese Painted Ferns. They do well in our heat as long as they are well shaded and in rich soil. Mine multiply and thrive.
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I will consider removing all that, thanks. All 3 silver maples (theres one more in back of house) get black tar spots on their leaves each year. Been happening since before I added the the raised beds directly around their trunks- which I forgot to mention, I have Jap. hakoni grass planted in there. The big beds were put in by my boyfriend’s mom about 20 yrs ago, who we bought the house from. None of the aforementioned plants in either of these big beds (except the hostas) really thrive to their full potential, once summer hits, despite getting watered deeply several times a week if no rain (but only after soil is slightly drier than damp). I had a huge clump of ajugas going one year that took up the front half of the bed but then 2 summers ago we got a really hot, dry summer & despite my frequent watering, most died except for a few stragglers. Perhaps more soil to replace what’s eroded & an application of slow mo fertilizer are in order this year.
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heleninramsey
16 years ago
I saw those Pansies at Lowes as well, but restrained myself, I have bought enough. I don't have leaves to rake, mine have blown into cover my perennials and filled the floor of my little prairie, we are lacking in trees, I will go out tomarrow morning and fill my pick-up with bags of leaves left out for the recycling trucks tomorrow to get the leaves I need. Today, Sunday, I will put the hybrid teas to bed, protect the young shrubs from the hoards of rabbits and pull trees out of the prairie.

I cleaned and filled the bird feeders earlier this week. It was odd, I did not see Blue Jays all summer, then one day about 3 weeks ago, I saw (and I am not kidding) at least 60, in flocks of 10 or so, working their way down the river, flocking from tree to tree...since then I have at least 3 or 4 at the feeders now...very cool.

Enjoy today everyone, thanks for the post...it makes me happy to think of the others enjoying the weather as well!
Helen.
Julie
16 years ago
I started my day as soon as there was daylight to see- and dug up the dahlias and cannas and others- hacked up and lifted away dead and dieing carcases of plants- and took a few cuttings and gathered even more seeds- moving from bed to bed in the front yard finishing with a grand finale at twilight of hauling in container plants to the basement to winter over in mostly dormant state-
I still have beds left that need clearing- but I do think most things are lifted that need to be- I am leaving some mirabilis in the ground to overwinter.... I wonder if they will make it! The ones I lifted look like fat black carrots instead of the large softball to small basket ball size I am used to... I wonder why they look different this year. They are 1st year plants that bloomed their heads off all year long- and made way too many seeds that are already sprouting in the bed. Maybe it was that they put most of their energy into top growth....
Today I will need to clean and store all of those lifted tubers- set the seeds to dry, and find/make a spot to store the container plants.
I had better get busy!

Julie
selkie_b
16 years ago
Julie - I got SO MANY baby canna tubers from the ones you started from seed a couple years ago - filled one of those big flat produce boxes! One even bloomed this fall - a very delicate bloom with a lovely coral color.

-Marie

Leaves, Leaves, Leaves

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mnwsgal

ginkgonut

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