Covering the Gardens with Mulch and Compost
Winter is the best time to cover garden beds with a rich layer of organic mulch or compost.
Fortunately I am able to make both right here at my Bedford, New York farm. During the course of the year, my outdoor grounds crew amasses large amounts of organic debris - felled trees, branches, leaves, etc., but none of the material goes to waste. It is either repurposed quickly as milled lumber, or made into mulch and compost, that nutrient rich “black gold” that we use generously over all the gardens, tucking them snuggly away until spring.
Enjoy these photos.
-
- Pete brings in a wheelbarrow full of mulch into my flower cutting garden to cover the footpaths in this space. Mulch and the darker nutrient rich compost are both made in the back fields of the farm.
-
- The brown, shredded bark, stripped from fallen trees and run through a shredder provides a decorative finish.
-
- These are clumps of composted manure. The crew drops the compost in small amounts and then spreads two to three inch layers evenly throughout the garden beds.
-
- Orange colored garden twine is used to mark where the footpaths will be.
-
- It’s best to cover the beds in winter when flowers are not in bloom and the crew can gingerly walk through without disturbing any growth.
-
- I like to create footpaths around every bed, but I keep them as narrow as possible, so most of the space can be used for growing plants.
-
- Here is Chhewang spreading the compost very carefully and neatly up to the twine. This will insulate and protect those early spring bulbs and perennials from fluctuating temperatures.
-
- And here’s a fresh layer of compost on the beds – it always excites me when we start preparing the gardens for the next growing season.
-
- Truck loads of mulch and compost are backed up to the flower cutting garden. The crew has developed a very efficient process, so filling the wheelbarrows, dropping the clumps and spreading the compost and mulch can all be done in an organized manner.
-
- Here is Pete wheeling in another load. My compost includes dark organic matter made up of manure and biodegradable materials. Compost is ready to use after two years. During this time, it is mixed with water, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen, which break down the organic material.
-
- Ryan also uses this time to fertilize the garden beds – adding necessary minerals to the soil before it is covered with compost.
-
- It takes time to spread the compost nicely and evenly, but it looks so beautiful once an area is completed.
-
- Next, the crew moves on to the Stewartia garden across from my long pergola and behind my Tenant House.
-
- Once again, clumps are dropped in rows along the entire bed. Healthy organisms in the compost will be active and produce steam even in winter. This rich compost is generating a lot of steam, but it is all safe, and a great sign of good, usable material.
-
- Adding compost to the garden also helps to neutralize the soil pH and improve its ability to hold nutrients for plant use.
-
- In addition, covering the garden beds helps to deter weeds. Using these materials is a wonderful way to beautify the gardens and to give back to the earth. Here is a view of the finished bed with my Basket House in the back.
-
- And here is a look from the other side. Good compost introduces vital nutrients to the garden, including nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, manganese, copper, iron and zinc.
-
- During warmer weather, the added layer helps to keep the soil beneath moist and cool.
-
- This area is beside my Tenant House – the top dressing is so rich in color.
-
- Here is Chhewang in the herbaceous peony bed. He is spreading out the clumps of mulch in between the aisles of composted peonies. With this organic matter, heavy soils in the beds are better equipped to hold water and resist compaction – reducing erosion and runoff.
-
- After some time, it is easy to see how pretty the beds look with the added mulch layer.
-
- More mulch is added to the areas near my front gate. I decided to place mulch here, so there is less grass to maintain.
-
- Compost is added to the long daffodil border – I can’t wait to see this bed come spring when it is covered in white and various shades of yellow and orange.
-
- Here is another large bed behind my Summer House – completely protected.
-
- And here is the Linden Tree Allee – also treated with a fresh layer of nutrient rich matter. How do you protect your garden beds in winter? Share your comments with me in the section below – I love reading them.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
