Time to get Ready for Bed

      Last month, my husband and I, & two dear friends had the great pleasure of taking an Alaskan cruise together. One of the many sweet surprises included in the cruise was our room steward pulling our curtains and leaving chocolates on our pillows, as if to say, "You've had a fabulous day, and now it is time to get ready for bed." 
As an avid garden tender, I can do the same thing for my home landscape. I need to prepare my flowerbeds for the winter's nap. I had a small bin full of organic compost ready to be dumped on my flower beds with the message, "time to get ready for bed." I love the whole composting concept, but have to admit I wasn't very good at it this past summer. It was a hit and miss thing for me. That's certainly not to say, I don't believe in the benefits. I was either too busy or too lazy to turn my bin regularly and keep the brown & green layers coming along with moisture. In spite of myself, I still garnered good compost.
   Laying down organic compost, allowing fallen leaves to remain on the ground, and cutting back spent blossoms and foliage prepares your garden for rest.
Just as spring calls for garden preparation, so does autumn. If you don't live in a typically wet region, its wise to give your trees a nice deep soak before the first ground freeze. Spread mulch around the base of your more tender perennials, and check your plants for any broken branches or stems. Plant the bulbs you want to enjoy next spring. 
As the daylight decreases and temperature drop, go ahead and start preparing to pull the shades and leave chocolates on the pillow of your garden.