Bags of Gold

I’ve read that if you expect to have a great growing season in the Summer, preparations need to begin in the Fall.  The soil I have to work with is nothing but fill dirt on which our home was built seven years ago.  It’s just clay and rock.  However, the great thing about soil is that you can always improve it.  The first thing I needed to do was to start working on improving my soil.

Therefore, last fall when everyone was raking up their leaves and finding a way to get rid of them, I was looking for a way to give them a home.  Since there are no large trees in our yard I did the unthinkable.  I shouldn’t have been so excited over finding a generous soul to let me take their fifty bags of shredded maple leaves off their hands.  But I was!  My neighbors must have thought I was nuts but everytime I see huge stacks of leaves down by the street in front of homes I think to myself, “They’re throwing away bags of gold!”

Now those leaves are slowly breaking down and decomposing where they will not only enrich the soil but improve its structure for this coming growing season.  They also provide a fantastic “brown” source for composting which I’ll be sharing in an upcoming post.

What do you do with your leaves in the fall?

This past fall I discovered my new favorite vegetable from the backyard.  Kale.  Yes, kale.  I had never tasted kale until this past September 2010.  I also discovered that the broccoli plant looks great in the garden and it tastes a ton better and fresher than the broccoli you buy in the produce section.  These two discoveries have been the catalysts inspiring me to step out and take my back yard to a level of gardening it’s never been to before.

I’m a novice though and I realize I need help in this endeavor.  I don’t claim to know much about all the right things to do in the garden but I’ll learn as I go.  An invitation to counsel and advice is open here at all times.  As I update the progress, trials and triupmphs, I hope another adventurous soul will be inspired to give something like this a try in their back yard and I hope that those willing to share their knowledge and expertise will help me out by passing along their wisdom.

Whatever the result, it just feels like a great time for a fresh start!