Garden

put fallen leaves to work

Once trees start dropping their fall foliage, don’t just bag the leaves—they are among the richest organic matter around. Before raking, shred dry leaves by going over them with a mower a few times (use the “mulch” setting if your mower has one). Then you have options:

• Rake leaves into a pile or bin; let mature for at least a year into “leaf mold.”
• Add shredded leaves to your regular compost (similar to grass clippings).
• Work the leaves into your soil; by spring, your garden will be all the riper for planting.
• Spread a 6-inch layer of leaves (as you would mulch) to protect plants from cold and wind (remove in spring).

Garden

Sow Seeds for Spring Vegetables

If you live where the ground is frozen fairly consistently throughout winter, you can pre-seed crops now for an early spring harvest.

• Start by digging in 2 to 3 inches of compost.
• Seed root vegetables (ones harvested in spring taste noticeably sweeter!), and brassicas a few weeks before cold weather hits to allow them to get growing.
• Wait to seed peas, spinach, and lettuces once the ground is too cold to germinate (so after the first frost).
• After seeding according to packet instructions, cover garden bed with a protective layer of mulch; cold frames and row covers also help (as does consistent snow cover).