DIY Network

Over-wintering Tips, Compost Cage Over-wintering Tips, Compost Cage From "Fresh from the Garden" episode DFFG-126

Here, learn how to overwinter the vegetables in your garden and build a simple yet super-handy cage for composting leaves....

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	Do a soil nutrient test at the end of each planting season.
	Put each sample in a bag that lists the bed it came from and what was growing in it this past season.
	Mulch works a lot like the insulation in your attic, it forms a warmth barrier around your plants.
	One way to make extra mulch is by taking advantage of the thing that's most abundant in the fall, leaves.
	The next step is to take a heavy-duty stapler and attach the chicken wire to the stakes
	Dry leaves can't decay, so water them until they're starting to get damp.

• Do a soil nutrient test at the end of each planting season. To conduct the soil test, take samples from several of the garden beds. Put each sample in a bag that lists the bed it came from and what was growing in it this past season. Some plants consume a lot of nutrients, like tomatoes and squash, and you need to see if the beds they were in need to be re-filled with organic matter before they can be re-planted in the spring. The test will also let you know if all of the soil amendments you added to the beds last season did their job of making the soil healthier.

• Take the samples to the extension service in your county. They’ll mail the results to you in a few weeks. By getting the results now you can be sure and have the beds ready for spring. Don’t waste any of next year’s growing season waiting for a soil test or wondering what to add to your beds. The results will give you specific nutrients levels that you can use to get your soil in top shape.

• Over-wintering vegetables like onions, shallots and garlic can be pretty easy. During cold weather plants don't absorb as many nutrients, so you don't have to add any fertilizer to them. What they do need is protection from the cold dry winds of winter. The best way to do this is to mulch them heavily, basically giving them a coat to keep them from freezing. The key to mulching is to make it thick enough to keep the stems protected but loose enough for air to circulate. Mulch works a lot like the insulation in your attic, it forms a warmth barrier around your plants.

• One way to make extra mulch is by taking advantage of the thing that's most abundant in the fall, leaves! Using dried leaves to make mulch has several benefits. First, you get rid of the leaves that are littering your yard. Second, you get free mulch. And third, the mulch that's created by dried leaves has a special benefit -- it's called "leaf mold." This mold is actually broken down pieces of composting leaves that have high amounts of calcium and magnesium, both important to strong plant growth. Another advantage of leaf mold is that it holds high amounts of moisture and when you add it to your garden soil it helps young spring plants stay hydrated. In order to make leaf mold, you need a large container or cage to put leaves in.

• To build the cage, you'll need 6 2"x2"x8' pieces of lumber and a bale of 4-foot tall chicken wire. You will also need a staple gun and staples to attach the wire to the wood and a hammer to drive the stakes into the ground. Cut one end of each board into a point with a circular saw.

• The cage will be square and the measurements don’t have to be scientific. The important thing is that it’s sturdy enough to hold up to wind and rain and that the holes in the wire surround are small enough that the leaves don’t blow away. Start by hammering the first stake in the ground to a depth of at least 12 inches, try to get it as straight as you can. When it’s in place measure 4 feet out, in the direction you want your cage to go and place your second stake. If you can, try to get the flat sides of your stakes to face outward. That way you’ll have a surface to staple the wire to later on.

• With the first 2 stakes in place, measure off the back stake 4 feet and drive it into the ground. For the last stake make sure that it is squared up with the other ones and hammered into place. You will have 4 stakes all equally spaced in a square. These are the bones or supports of the leaf cage.

• The next step is to take a heavy-duty stapler and attach the chicken wire to the stakes. Wrap the wire around the outside of the supports, and when the cage is full of leaves the strength of the supports and the wire cage will hold everything in. It takes about 6 to 10 staples per board to hold the wire in place. Continue stapling until you have the wire cage firmly stapled to all of the supports. Be sure to overlap the wire to make sure it won't come loose once all of the leaves are in.

• When the cage is done, you need a large quantity of dried leaves. Because leaves decay very slowly and you want to be able to use them in the spring you need to jump-start the composting process. The best way to do that is to break up the leaves. A lawnmower can do this quickly and easily. Using the bag attachment on the lawn mower pick up the leaves. Each time you empty the lawn mower bag pour the leaves into the new cage.

• There are a few tips that make composting leaves go more quickly. The first thing is water. Dry leaves can't decay, so water them until they're starting to get damp. You can stir the leaves if you need to by poking a stick or dowel through the wire and moving the leaves around. The next tip is to add a little bit of lime to the pile. Leaves are very acidic and the lime helps to make them more pH balanced. This willl help beneficial organisms take hold and start to break down the leaves. The final tip is to add a handful or 2 of blood meal. This jumpstarts the compost process because it adds nitrogen as well as stimulates plants decay.

• Over the winter, you'll need to stir the pile to make the leaves breakdown more quickly and efficiently. Add water after you stir to keep the leaves moist. As the temperatures warm up in the spring, you'll see that your leaf pile will start to break down more quickly. Cold weather slows down the natural compost process.