Renewal

Fall is the time of renewal. The leaves need continuous raking and transporting to the mulch pile. In a pile they turn to mush with the summer grass clippings and kitchen compost. Leaves raked directly on the garden beds protect the sensitive perennials like roses. Living 19 floors above the ground I can only visualize composting, but renewal happens on balconies as well. Pots are freshened with mums and pansies maybe an attractive kale. I potted a one foot evergreen after trimming its roots. A bonsai Christmas tree with outdoor ornaments is a renewable feature. While dirt gardeners are covering their hybrid roses with leaves, my miniature roses filled out with new leaves and new blooms. The coming of cooler, moister fall weather and an additional boost of fertilizer gave them a fresh start.
At Osprey we have a wonderful blackberry bush which grows wild out past the barn. In honor of the fall renewal I plan to choose a long runner or two that touch the ground. I will remove several leaves on the runner, cover the nodes where the leaves were with growth hormone and then place the treated area on a loosened area of ground and cover the section of runner with some composted soil. Hopefully new roots will grow from this rooting and next fall or spring of 2009 I will have started an additional blackberry bush. Fall is not the time to close down, but a time of opportunity and preparation. Make plans now for the future garden.