Chop and Drop
Many of my garden friends have asked, "When do I cut back the garden?"
Well, it's finally time! February is the Love Your Garden Month. But not in a warm, fuzzy, box of chocolate way. Rather, sharpen and oil your blades because it's time to chop, chop, chop. We are chopping hard and low to the ground.
My mini-meadow in July is packed with grasses and perennials, all surrounded by a Portuguese laurel hedge. Below are photographs of the mini-meadow in winter hibernation. There are two ways to chop down your plants. The chop-and-drop method is a simple and sustainable gardening trick. Cut down your grasses and perennials to about 2 inches, leaving the plant material on the soil surface. This is beneficial for your garden in several ways. The "natural mulch" helps retain moisture and suppress weeds, while the decomposing plant material enhances nutrient cycling and soil fertility. Plus, with February being a crummy month of weather, this method saves time by eliminating the need for debris removal.
Rise and Shine
Look at these perennials. They are quite frankly over-achievers, show-offs, and boasters. One of the hardest-working plants in the summer season. But that is why they must go dormant and regenerate for next year. When we go into the garden in February and cut them back, we are signaling for them to ‘rise and shine.’ Get ready; spring is coming.
I have no shame in leaving my garden beds to rest. I think people are far too tidy about their gardens in winter. Especially commercial gardeners with their eager blowers. They do more harm than good with those blowers. I say leave it! Let the leaves decompose to enhances the soil health of your beds.
TOOLS
Keep your secateurs in good condition:
Use a wire brush or steel-wool to clean blades and dry with a cloth to prevent rust.
Use a sharpening file
Oil moving parts to keep the secateurs snipping smoothly.
Felco brand is my favorite.
Hellebore Tip
Cut back the foliage and let the flowers shine! When the weather warms new leaves unfurl bringing their beautiful structure back into the garden.
Plant Pairing #5
Persian Carpet Plants
Sedum and Heather: I love the pairing of heather and sedum for their similar leaf structure, creating a fun trickery of the eye. The sedum intertwines with the heather, forming a rich, thick carpet as it spreads. Both plants contribute to the colorful tapestry of the arrangement with the heather producing sweet winter blooms and the sedum throwing out spires of acid yellow flowers in the summer, along with changing leaf colors that add extra interest pairing of this dynamic duo.
Get Dirty,…. and make a garden carpet!