I should carry around a sign stating “Will Work for Compost” for I do every autumn. Other than my labor, my compost is free because it's from beautiful shredded leaves. It's time to deal with my leaves that fall like snow twice a year. Fall leaves fall everywhere. Leaves fall like snow in my garden. In fact, they start to fall just about the time we’re ready to plant cabbages, pansies, and bulbs. Various oaks, which make up most of the native, deciduous trees in my central Oklahoma landscape, have the toughest, most fibrous leaves I know of, but if you rake and shred them, they can become a gardener’s best friend. We shred some of our oak leaves when they fall in the spring and autumn and keep them in piles for me to use throughout the year. In my state, Interstate 35 is the demarcation line between the...

While I'm out planting the bulbs this Sunday afternoon, I'll also be thinking about beans and greens and whether I want to start any beans on top of the stove or in the crockpot. I'm trying to insert more beans and greens into my diet, and it's becoming fairly easy. This is to help reduce my cholesterol and lose some weight. Greens in the coldframe from 2015. I don't grow that many greens anymore because I get so many in my CSA. CSA bags almost always have greens in winter. Because I belong to a CSA--Community Supported Agriculture--I get a lot of greens in my weekly bag. Although I like greens, they aren't my favorite thing to eat. Pizza is actually my favorite thing ever, but my 60-year-old body needs fewer carbs. If you're trying to eat fewer carbs or less meat, beans and greens are the way to go....

This week I'm planting the bulbs in two garden spots. In keeping with ten ways to enjoy your garden more, I'm planting the bulbs where I can see them from the front door and in the garden border outside the kitchen where I write and record the Gardenangelists podcast with Carol Michel. I did an Instagram video about the one spot today explaining how I plant. I have so many bulbs to plant. In fact, I found two more boxes in my garage. Too many bulbs as usual. I have boxes and boxes of bulbs to plant. To make it easier, I'll use a l ong bulb auger for my 20v DeWalt cordless drill for planting among the trees where I've never planted before. That's where I'm placing some of the new daffodils. In November, the kitchen border is full of spent perennials. I'll need to cut some of these...

Yes, I know we're all exhausted from the summer from hell in Oklahoma and Texas--or is that just me? But it's time to start planning for next year's dream garden. Trust me, it's time, and who knows? Maybe next summer will be more seasonal. It was the summer before. Look how green my grass was in July 2021 when we had our open garden. Little Cedar Garden in July 2021. It's time to plant fall bulbs or order them if you haven't already. My fall bulbs are always part of planning for next year's garden, and are now arriving daily. Why, oh why, did I order so many, and why did I think I could grow camassias? I don't live in the Pacific Northwest. How I planted the bulbs in the sidewalk border last fall. I'll probably do the same this year with any tulips I get. Around Thanksgiving, I'll...