Leaf Week 2015!

Leaf Week 2015 is on!

November is always a good month on the farm for me. While it brings the end to the season, it also is full of planning and planting for spring. I am harvesting the bounty of fall, planting for spring and thinking of next summer. There is no shortage of hope in this garden.

The 2015 growing season has come to an end.

It’s always a bit sad to see the summer gardens mowed ending the days of cockscomb, sunflowers and zinnias. But I love seeing the new beds planted with little baby plants of snaps, sweet peas, strawberries and others. All bedded down just waiting for spring.

We are finishing up fall planting, getting the cover crops settled in and mulching everything else. This year I have planted daikon radishes, crimson clover and winter rye as our cover crops. The birds already love the cover it creates.

Our strawberry plants are getting ready for May 2016 berries!

We have planted several hundred strawberries plants this fall. Our Garden Share members will be reaping the bounty come May of 2016—we can hardly wait! Our plan for 2016 also includes a nice stand of sweet corn. Our family farm has had a strong tradition of growing it each year until I consumed every square inch for flowers. So 2016 is going to be a beautiful and delicious year!

Dumping bags of leaves on the new border being careful to not pile on plants.

Leaf week happens in November. In addition to mulching the pathways of our fall planted gardens, we have planted a 9000 square foot native border surrounding the farm that is also in need of mulch. My estimation is we will need a couple thousand bags. I have a gaggle of ladies that will pile into our truck and go out collecting. We don’t have to go more than a mile to fulfill our need. City farming at its best!

We have fun doing it!

My schedule is exciting and full for the coming weeks with bags of leaves to rescue, fall programs to give, and the biggest show of the year to conquer—Bizarre Bazaar in Richmond, VA.  And don’t miss our Christmas Open Farm Dec. 12 & 13—I’ll give a walking talk about fall / winter gardening and our warehouse will be open.

So the beat goes on and I am happy for it all.

With cheer,

Lisa Z

Founder of  The Gardener’s Workshop and Flower Farming School Online . Award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers, Cool Flowers, and The Easy Cut-Flower Garden  Connect with Lisa on Facebook  and Instagram !