As bi11me stated the algae and pond weeds would be a good addition while only enough of the water from the pond to slightly moisten the rest of the material would be of help. Too much water dispaces the air the bacteria that digest the high carbon material need to work. They also need Nitrogen (protein) to function, but only just enough of that also, 30 parts Carbon to 1 part Nitrogen, or close to that. This composting tutorial may be of some help. The leaves could be 40 to 80 parts C to 1 part N and the wood chips could be 400 to 600 to 1. Here is a link that might be useful: Composting Tutorial

The beauty and relaxation that your garden can provide you and your family is certainly worth all the work you put in each year. Putting in a little extra work at the end of the season, however, can make getting your garden ready next spring easier and can help keep your plants healthy through the winter months. Here are a few great tips that will get your garden ready to handle the cold and snow. Clean Up: Though not a favorite task of any gardener, it is a very necessary step to getting your garden ready for winter. Remove your annuals, empty and store any pots and containers, and give your garden one last mow. Also, raking up all those leaves is one chore all homeowners are familiar with each autumn, but they do make great mulch for your perennials and vegetable garden, and are also a great addition to your compost. Plant Or Relocate Trees And Shrubs: The fall is the best time to get new trees into the ground, or move those you have earmarked to be relocated. The best strategy is to choose trees that are hardy for your zone, as it makes their survival more likely and maintenance easier. Also, choosing evergreens and shrubs that produce berries in the winter months can make your garden more interesting and provide activity for birds and other wildlife. Protect Your Trees: For new or young trees this is an important step you'll not want to forget in winterizing your garden. Covering trees and shrubs with burlap is most important in areas that have exposure to northwest winds and high sun. Be sure, however, not to do this too early in the season, in order to prevent rot. It is also a good idea to give your evergreens plenty of water to prevent burnout. Test Soil And Mulch: After the ground freezes be sure to add mulch to your perennial garden. This will protect both your soil and plants through the long winter months, as well as provide much needed nutrients for spring. This is also a good time to test the pH of your soil to see if it is lacking any essential minerals for the next growing season. Plant Spring Bulbs: This is also the time of year to get your spring bulbs into the ground. Be sure that you do this before the first frost, and give them plenty of water when planting them. Unlike all the work you put into your garden in spring, winter clean-up can seem like a difficult and unrewarding task, but with this effort you will keep your garden in tip-top shape for the growing season ahead! Visit my website at www.valeriemcconville.com

As SB says/implies, everybody that actively gardens figures out what works best for them in their particular soil and climate conditions, and given their particular tastes and preferences. Here, we have heavy clay soil that benefits from adding organic matter, and winters can be snowy but are often almost snowless for extended periods. What works for me is to cut down in fall plants with tallish stiff stems, and plants that can be disease-prone (e.g. Peonies) but leave lower-growing sprawly plants with minimal cutting back/just a tidy-up if needed. That way the garden looks a bit neater in its snowless stages but organic matter from the decaying low-growing plants gets added to the soil. If spring is particularly wet, I may pull decaying plant material away from the crown of the plants in early spring. So, in my regime I'd tidy up the catmint a bit but otherwise leave it alone until spring when it would get cut back to the new rosette of growth. The Helenium would have its stiff stalks cut down. Your preferences might be different, so decide what works best for you. Most plants are tough enough to survive a range of treatments!

Well the plant has arrived. And in a pleasant surprise it is rather large sized. Greats: 1. The lucerene mulch I got this time is great. Very good quality !!! Bads: 1. Well the other pack of the garden soil I had kept was 2 years old, seemingly had got wet and became mush. I thought that it should not matter since the pot is open bottomed. I put it in and after watering the water just stayed on top. So took the plant out and removed the mushy soil. Opened another pack. It was moist as expected. After planting the water drained better. 2. The roots of this plant are just hairs. Puts Daphne to shame. I have serious concerns on how long the plant will last. I will keep on updating the thread as things happen.