Building Your Soil Over the Winter-Two Cheap Methods with Cover Crops + Leaves

How to use cover crops in the suburbs--along with free leaves and a free DIY tool--to take advantage of the downtime in winter, and build your soil ahead of next year, including specific cover crop suggestions. I've shown my usual method plus a "beefed up" method that takes more work, but builds the soil even more quickly. Enjoy!

[@CroAglo]

I've never done a cover crop, but I've seen various techniques. I always wondered why no one did the crop circle method... happy to see someone do that!!!😂😂❤

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Oh MAN-me not doing this in some kind of crop circle pattern is definitely a missed opportunity 😂

[@mcnorcan]

Great presentation with an excellent narration combined with good visuals. Thank you.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks for the kind words! I’m glad that it came together. :)

[@garrettperea8437]

This was a really fascinating video. Learned a lot about "winterizing" a garden bed for spring in under 10 minutes. Kudos!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful 👍

[@franksmith7419]

DUH, ITS FOLLOWING NATURE

[@marvinrobinson8519]

I am having excellent success with keeping my garden covered at all times. During the summer, any bare ground is covered with some sort of mulch such as straw, grass clippings, leaves, etc. In the fall I either cover the garden with leaves or a cover crop. Either way, the mulch or cover crop is tilled into the soil each spring. Each year, I find improvements in the soil. The result? Great organic produce. Feed the soil and you'll get healthy plants. Corn with huge 10'+ stalks (that add more organic matter to the soil), tomato plants that can exceed 9'-10'. I love picking a 5 gallon pail of fresh tomatoes-from one plant! Great video!!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Your garden sounds amazing! Mine isn’t tilled, so the good stuff works its way in more gradually, but I spotted a worm yesterday that could probably take me in a fight, so something is going right with the soil 😂

[@marvinrobinson8519]

@@WellGroundedGardens Keep feeding your soil and your garden will do better every year! You have a niv=ce setup! Best wishes to you!!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! Same!

[@umiluv]

Thank you for this video! I’ve never seen cover crops being processed so this was very helpful.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’m glad! I felt super awkward trying to film it, so I’m glad that it helped somebody. 😂

[@donnasheinbach8751]

THANK YOU!!!! Everyone always talks about cover crops but no one EVER actually demonstrates how to fold them in! So helpful. Especially showing both methods. Finally!! :)

[@WellGroundedGardens]

You’re welcome! This one was super hard to film (lots of phases and weird camera angles) so I’m not surprised that a lot of others haven’t done it. They’re smarter than me. 😂 Glad it’s useful!

[@ltodd79]

Best demonstration of cover cropping I've ever seen. Please add a save button to your viewing options.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thank you-I have no idea how to do that with my videos, but I will try to figure it out. 👍😬

[@tammytamz3046]

Can’t wait to here about what you can grow over the winter!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

This is the plan (for next year’s winter garden): kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJnOY31rj7mGY5Y This year we’re on a new property and I got too late of a start for any winter crops to mature in time, because we didn’t even have the garden built until June. 😕

[@TheTrock121]

I also like to add a layer of cardboard on top. It seems to encourage the worms to come closer to the surface in the daytime, and of course holds the leaves in place. It is also permeable after soaked and allows enough rain through.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Wherever we’ve used cardboard I get a TON of worms 👍. I don’t have enough for all the beds, yet, but I’m saving it.

[@trumpetingangel]

Dang! If I had seen this when it was still warm and sunny enough to plant the cover crop seeds I bought, I'd be doing this now! I pulled out the seeds and saw that two of the ingredients wouldn't winter-kill. I got discouraged about cover cropping and didn't plant any. Next year! Subscribing!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

It's kind of insane how few things truly winter kill, even in a climate as cold as mine! Even with the crimping, the leaves, AND my cold weather, I may still need to finish them for good in spring with a silage tarp...but that's fine.

[@trumpetingangel]

@@WellGroundedGardens I'm in Zone 6a, apparently, formerly 5b. My cover crop would have gone into metal raised beds, which also have some winter kale in them. I couldn't figure out how I would kill it off in the spring. I'll know better next time.

[@bnielsen44]

I like your soil food web practices. Excellent!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks!

[@RalphMickey]

I haven't even thought about our garden - still moving and fixing things. Thanks for the video and reminding me about the garden lol

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Mine didn’t go in until June, because we were still moving in. I am VERY much feeling this comment. 😂

[@Cici1791]

Great video, so clear, factual and concise. Just subscribed, thank you!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! I’m glad it was useful. 🙂

[@rmartinie]

Amen the above comment!! Add ditto to subscribed 👍🏻😊🌿 Thanks a million for coming on youtube and sharing your knowledge and experience 👌🏻 God bless 🙏🏻

[@BroadwayGardener]

Looking forward to seeing what you grow in winter! I'll look out for that video. Love to see all those leaves doing something great!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! Right now it’s all itty bitty stuff in the green house, basically in stasis until our day lengths increase. And I share your sentiment on the leaves-there’s nothing like free materials for the garden. :)

[@karenfrankland7763]

Love watching you nourish your soil for the winter. While we don't grow a cover crop on our raised beds, we do add a good 6 inch layer of shredded leaves and grass clippings as well as a good inch layer of chicken and duck manure on top. It's worked great for us. By spring it's pretty much broken down and we just pitch fork the soil before planting.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’ve done the exact same thing! Our “usual” routine was to let the grass get long in the fall and to mow over the leaves on the lawn, to get a chopped up “magic compost mix” that we put on the beds. This year we’re at a new property and the grass was treated with weed and feed, so I can’t use it 🤷‍♀️

[@TalRohan]

@@WellGroundedGardens that explains why you used a bare bit of ground for your leaf mowing thanks

[@thereseboogades8498]

Excellent ! Fantastic job showing how to build / enhance your soil with myriad benefits! I really enjoyed your video! All the best from Virginia Beach, Virginia 😊🎉

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thank you! And, I love that part of the country. 😁

[@meghanplamondon8639]

A helpful hint I found for my very short growing season ( zone 3a) is to always chop my tree leaves with my lawn mower, and maybe even empty the chopped leaves out of the bag and re-chop them. I dig a trench in my beds and bury them under soil, then add on top. They will compost in place extremely well and it gives the beds a good prep for the spring. All extra leaves go into the compost pile that cover all potted plants I didn’t have time to plant into the garden. It gets a good 6 feet of snow cover and the potted plants overwinter well. Your garden looks amazing btw! ❤

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Love that! I’ve done trench composting of crop debris and a similar method of chopping them with the mower (and mixing with grass) but never tried burying the chopped leaves. Summary of our prior method, here, in case you’re interested: Trench Composting & End of Season Cleanup kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpO4mqSin6uWrZY

[@franksmith7419]

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT IDEA FOR YOUR GARDEN.

[@elizabethjohnson475]

Here in far north California, zone 7 foothills, I bury oak leaves and vegetable plant remains, even lengthy vines (don't even chop them) in my rows. By March is beautiful soil; no traces of the leaves or vines, etc.

[@meghanplamondon8639]

@@elizabethjohnson475 I wish I could do that here. Our ground freezes solid way deep so our compost doesn’t get much time to heat up before the freezes, that’s why chopping things up very small is almost a necessity. Usually in October the soil can be rock hard, and it stays that way until May. My vegi plants don’t go outside until at least June. A short season indeed. Thanks for sharing.

[@westdavies]

I'm in zone 4 (Pagosa Springs, CO) and like to use the aspen leaves since they seem to break down quicker than the oak leaves.

[@amothinisengard6505]

Girl you got so many views!! Well deserved, been following your channel for a while and it's been a wealth of knowledge. Kudos!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! Also: this is weird 😂😂😂

[@rianajansevanrensburg2444]

Thank you for your video. I have had cover crops the last two years in my urban garde. The first year I just sprinkled the seeds on the soil and raked them in. The birds and termites thought it was 'n fast-food drive through this year I took time and made rows and planted them under ground. Was much better. I planted them between my flowers so couldn't use the weed eater to cut them so I uses a sizzor. That was a heck of a job. What I do is cut them down once and leave the mulch in place and they grow back again then I cut them down again and just before summer cut them right back to the roots so I get there living mulch harvests. I live in South Africa so no snow here. I love your idea of using the plank to break the stems. I don't have low beds like yours. Well done with all the hard work

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! Birds came through and took out all of my carrot seeds, one year. I feel your pain. 😕

[@FoodForestBrad]

Brilliant way to build soil!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! The proof will be next spring, but I’m excited about it!

[@Earthy-Artist]

Thank you thank you THANK YOU!! This was a fantastic video!! I have never seen someone demonstrate this type of bed amendment using cover crops then leaves, smashing them down the way you do for a backyard residential garden. Even though I watch A LOT of gardening videos from highly skilled gardeners I still have never seen exactly this done before. I have a six 4'x12' raised garden beds, container gardens, edible landscape gardens & a micro fruit tree forest.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Ooh! I’m jealous of your food forest, even a small one. I’m trying to design one, now, for future chickens. And thanks for the kind words!

[@misterdubity3073]

I don't think I had seen either of those cover crop termination methods before: 1) crimp in late fall and cover with leaves; 2) "mow" (or weed whack) and remove most of the cover crop in late fall, combine with leaves via lawn mower, mulch with that. More tools for the toolbox. Thanks.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Im glad! As I mentioned towards the end? this probably won’t 100% terminate them the way a black tarp would, but I’m ok with living roots through the winter. I’ll do an update in the spring to see how each method turned out.

[@jackstone4291]

Exactly. Living roots all year round is a great thing. And those Daeon Radish were a great example - up in a month and help break up the soil massively too. Great useful simple practical advice

[@duxdawg]

We've been mowing cover crops since the 1970s. Taught it by older folks, so it's been around a lot longer than that. Sad that this information isn't more widely available.

[@donaldduck830]

The easy version ofc is: Let the frost destroy the cover crops. Idk how bored the nice lady in the video is, but I never got enough time to make my garden look like that. But worse, when there is activity in the soil over winter, all the nutrients leach away. Ukriane got the best soil in the world especially because it gets frozen in winter and the organic matter just builds up. I am in a similar climate to Michigan, just in maritime Europe and it does not freeze enough to stop all conversion in the ground, so I got to inject fresh organic matter every spring. So all the covering up in the video above is even worse than doing nothing, actually.

[@twokeychains2722]

@@duxdawgit’s on KZbin, available to anyone in the world with even a minimal internet connection…how much wider you thinking?

[@barbarastefani254]

I tried this last year it worked out very well love you video

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Awesome! Did you take off the material in the spring, to compost separately, or did you plant plant straight into it? I’m debating which one to go with next year.

[@NewDimension7]

Good Morning Soil and composition , thanks you for sharing this video. Very helpful

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’m glad it was helpful!

[@user-wx5kb7vc3d]

Just beautiful

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks :)

[@elizabethjohnson475]

Well done video. Great subject!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks!

[@bluefeatherhomestead]

This is great! Thank you for sharing.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Glad it’s helpful!

[@-Metonia-]

Thank you for the information. I am starting from the ground up, and was looking for something to help feed ghe soil over the winter. Perfect!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Excellent! I’m so glad to hear that it was useful. 😁

[@janicejurgensen2122]

Wow u am impressed! In one short video I have learned exactly what I need to do!! Ty

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Yes! I’m so glad to hear it 😁

[@TheNewMediaoftheDawn]

Nice garden🍀, yes I envisioned using black porous weed mat to top leaves before the snow, or maybe cardboard, makes sense….

[@kittimcconnell2633]

Thanks for this! I've piled raked leaves in my garden but didn't think to tamp them down. I'll do that this weekend.

[@kittimcconnell2633]

Also, your garden is SO NEAT AND TIDY! It's lovely!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

If I don’t tamp mine down they go EVERYWHERE. And the garden only recently became tidy-it’s been a hot mess most of the year 😜

[@Bowcase]

Excellent video. A lot of work that will definitely pay-back the following harvest season. Thank you for posting.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Appreciate the note! And yes lots of work but like you said, dealing with lousy soil (speaking from painful experience) is way more work all year.

[@cindyatwood7144]

What fantastic ideas!! Please show the results in the Spring, and thank you soooo very much!!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I definitely will!

[@marshajamison7463]

Thank you for sharing!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

You’re very welcome-glad it’s useful. :)

[@MtnGrandma]

Wonderful idea I need to try this! 😊👍❤️

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! I’ll plan to do my usual update video next year and show how it worked. 👍

[@melissajofeuer6743]

That was really helpful. Thanks.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I'm glad! :)

[@MrGreenotwo]

Thanks for the information !

[@WellGroundedGardens]

You’re welcome! Glad it’s helpful.

[@tonnurserychristaylor669]

What a fantastic and novel idea

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! I’ll do a follow-up in the spring showing how the two methods turned out-for some compare and contrast

[@TRINITY-ks6nw]

Excellent presentation

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! I had fun making this one

[@NocturnalButterfly]

Thanks so much for sharing, this was very informative❣️ I was looking for some information on how to do this for my garden next year and was lucky enough to find you❣️💋💖🦋

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’m so glad! Let me know how it goes. :)

[@BrianHeimbuecher]

Thank you for the video!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Glad it’s useful!

[@stellaschneider6918]

Thank you much for this! I've been using chopped leaves on my garden for many rears, and recently wondered how I could use cover crops on my very small garden which I garden no-dig. Thank you!!!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’m glad it was helpful!

[@gocurtis27]

Just found your channel and had to subscribe immediately! Love your bed layout and style of your videos. Can't wait to watch more videos.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Hey, thanks! Things are slowing down for the season but I’m hoping to still cover one or two topics 👍

[@mauryroblovich]

What a great video! I learned a lot, thanks!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’m glad! Thanks for the kind words. :)

[@barbellgardener]

great information! Thanks❤

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks-I’m glad!

[@marypeterson7501]

Love the raised beds

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! (Physical) labor of love, but worth it

[@CarlyHollas]

Great, succinct video! Thank you!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

You’re very welcome! Glad that you enjoyed it. :)

[@damianhackett4761]

Great video. Clearly demonstrated. Thank you :)

[@WellGroundedGardens]

You’re welcome! I’m glad it’s useful.

[@flyoverurbangarden4315]

Excellent video.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks!

[@mamaj6028]

This is a great video ! Thanks

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ruidadgmailcanada8508]

I’m 2 minutes in and super impressed you showed up on my feed. Great information, science based, hands on, well demonstrated, good edits, concise and yet thorough. Definitely subscribed. ❤ from 🇨🇦 …update: great video and now I need some note paper so I don’t forget for next fall. 😊

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’m glad that you didn’t stop at two minutes 😂. Thank you for the kind words!!!

[@Angie-ci1lp]

Great video! Very informative interesting as well. Thank you

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! This one was tricky to film, so I’m glad that it came together.

[@suzannestack7784]

This was great! I've had cover crop seeds for 2 years now not really knowing what to do with it. Zone 3 makes me so confused as to how to effectively do this in such a short time. I'm now thinking of ways to use a season just for soil building. I have several bags of leaves. It's great to see the process and not just hear the theory.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’ve got the same issue but less so (zone 3 is tough!!!). Our winters don’t get as cold but our growing season is pretty short; over time I’ve focused more and more on cool-season crops and using the winters for soil health, so that they can support high-density plantings in the summers.

[@suzannestack7784]

@@WellGroundedGardens agreed. I too am focusing more on building healthy bio rich and loamy soil.

[@1Melody1963]

Just a thought, can you use cold frames with plastic covers to extend your growing season? I am in zone 7, so don’t have the same challenges as you, but here lots of gardeners will have plant crops weeks earlier than they normally would, and top with a cold frame.

[@garybennett3823]

hi from Oregon, loved the cover crop video. we use our riding mower with bagger to collect our leaves, the chopped leaves stay in there spot in the garden/. our milder winters allow the earth worms to work closer to the surface and compost the leaves. i will continue to follow

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Greetings! I’m from Washington State and used to garden both west and east of the Cascades. I miss the milder winters but I also dearly love our “hibernation culture” in Michigan :)

[@Mityob67]

Cool process and video. Tfs.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! Glad it’s helpful :)

[@jessie-2023]

Love this video so much. I think I have missed the boat on planting cover crop this year...except possibly rye but I did plant some peas this year not knowing the benefits. Not many but enough to help a little. We have one tree that drops loads and loads of leaves and this is our first year being able to use them back in the garden along with adding them to 2 new beds that I'm starting to prep for next year. Thanks for sharing these amazing cover crop tips. I agree with other commenters...it was really good to see this process. :)

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’m glad! It was a pain to film and I almost stopped halfway. Glad I stuck it out, after all 👍

[@jessie-2023]

@@WellGroundedGardens 😂 I bet and you have a large garden space too.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Seriously…this was my first year with the larger size, and even with only 1/2 of the beds planted, it was a LOT.

[@debbiepaquin8842]

The white radishes the feed store sold me for cover crop, they got huge and died with the freeze..the turnips mostly made it through the winter and bloomed in may/June the next spring. I originally planted those areas for the cows that winter as we had been in drought and the grass was mostly eaten up.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Did the radishes completely decompose for you? Which zone are you?

[@beebob1279]

My father used leaves every year in his garden. Didn't turn over the soil until early spring. His garden was impressive with plant towering over us. With so much growth one would think the food production would suffer. It did not. I do like the blocks for your boarders. I use them for keeping my hives off the ground. My computer sent me to your youtube video. I'm going to watch a few more. As I liked this one I'll likely subscribe.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Your dad sounds like somebody that I would admire! Love your user name, by the way. :)

[@TalRohan]

Here in the UK this works great but we dont get so much snow so I have used old carpet or felted wrapping fabric on top to insulate it...the mower idea is awesome I like that one a lot I have in the past left a cover on plots so that moles and other small critters get underneath and start digging everything up, by the time you pull the cover off its all nicely turned over and loose so you can rake and plant straight into it. Fantastic little instructional video Thankyou for sharing

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I never thought that I’d LIKE snow, until I needed the soil insulation 🙂

[@TheDrivewayGarden]

Great info thanks for sharing! Love seeing other Michigan gardeners here on KZbin! We also talk about winterizing our container garden in our most recent video.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Nice! Michiganders unite :)

[@priayief]

That's an informative video. I live in a similar climate zone and I have a similar practice at end-of-season. I remove my veggie plants by cutting off all growth above the soil level, leaving the roots intact. Then I lay down about two or three inches of homemade and commercial compost then cover with a thick layer of leaves. I use plastic snow fence on top of the leaves. I weigh down the snow fence with whatever is handy. In the spring, I remove the leaves for composting. I like your approach of using a variety of cover crops near the end of each season - especially those cover crops that don't survive through the winter. This is compatible with my no-dig method. Thanks for the video.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Your approach sounds awesome! I may steal the plastic snow fence idea 👍

[@franksinatra1070]

Very interesting techniques. I mulch with leaves and use cover crops on other beds but never thought about combining the two methods.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I only started combining them last year and to be honest it was a last minute attempt to find a use for our ridiculous quantity of leaves But I like it!

[@franksinatra1070]

@@WellGroundedGardens I have a lot of leaves also. I always stock piled and used to mix with greens in my compost but lately I try and keep the slower decomposing oaks in a separate pile and let them sit for 2 years until they make leaf compost on their own.

[@thomasriddle9570]

Great video, did similar this year, but using manure next year. And after the snow clears in the spring, till in the remainder in to really supercharge your soil and you’ll usually skip the black tarp step.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I don’t own a till so this one is all “woman-power” + stick 🤷‍♀️

[@deborahb.3736]

excellent information.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! I’m glad it’s helpful. :)

[@lauras5312]

You are amazing !

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! Also super nerdy. 😂

[@Mikhail-Caveman]

Cool Video!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks!

[@5points7019]

I do the same thing! My entire garden including raised beds are covered in chopped up leaves and straw. Compost pile is completely full again after getting 2 wheelbarrows full of ready to go compost. My winter crop consists of 50+ garlic cloves in raised beds. Im from SE michigan living in west central iowa now. Same grow zone. Different humidity. My neighbor has 15 bags of leaves im taking to add into the garden (no chemicals).

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Free leaves are the best! I’ve been known to pick them up, curbside-though not if they have many grass clippings in the mix, as those are always suspect for chemicals. My garden was super late going in this year, but I’m hoping to try garlic next year!

[@littlebrookreader949]

This is so smart.

[@roccoconte2960]

Nice video and great job enjoyed your video.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! I’m glad. 🙂

[@boaz9208]

"Persephone period", love it

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Wish I’d coined it!

[@lasalletxnurse1]

Very smart video

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thank you!

[@curiouscat3384]

I've read a lot of cover cropping guides in theory but your clear explanation and demonstration is very helpful! I'm not as organized or strategic about what to plant so your system is something I can copy. Unfortunately I'm too late to sow seeds this year :(

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I listed a few options in my FAQ video for anybody that’s too late to use cover crops: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXrOeZeri7hohNk

[@MountainGardenGirl]

me either..and I wondered about a perpetual cover crop bed that could be mowed all year to use for enhancing compost piles.

[@that_auntceleste5848]

When did you plant your cc in relation to your first frost date? I'm just a bit down from you, Northwest Indiana

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Clover would work pretty well for that; I’ve planted Dutch White as a living mulch. Next year I think I’m going to plant our “deer moat” with things like alfalfa or taller clovers that I can then mow down periodically and use as mulch to decompose in place, or add to our compost bins.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I planted them at the end of August and crimped them at the end of October (after our first frost). In general I’d say aim for 8-9 weeks before your big “lead drop” in the fall

[@SteveSerrano65]

Great video! I love using leaves in my garden. The few years ago I stopped tilling the ground {for the most part}. I love it and it has worked out well for me. The fall garden is coming to an end. I'm going to leave some carrots in ground to store. 🤞Keep up the good work!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! I didn’t get as many fall and winter crops in as I’d like (late start this year) but I did manage a bed of overwintering carrots. Fingers crossed!

[@krh7150]

Do you have some good no till gardening video to suggest?

[@SteveSerrano65]

@@krh7150 kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHbVoKmFo7Vrh6ssi=zPvx_ALQANiadA-p

[@SteveSerrano65]

@@krh7150 This is one of them that got me started. I hope it helps.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I feel like this has become a cliche answer, but all of Charles Dowding’s content is great

[@myurbangarden7695]

I am reaping the benefits of leaf mulch and tarping in my beds last yearm. So much better water retention and less weeds.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Awesome! I feel like it has also made a noticeable difference in our worm population. Or at least the population near the surface. They seem to love the insulation over winter.

[@waynesell3681]

Glad your in Michigan! Im in Manistee Co zone 5b. . Covering with leaves and straw.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Greetings! We’re Wayne County, zone 6A 😁

[@waynesell3681]

​@@WellGroundedGardensThanks your project with your garden beds look very successful. Haven't tried dicon radish..

[@ashvincent1538]

great video thank you!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Glad it was helpful!

[@user-kp3ll9no6n]

Excellent video. Very learningful. Nice quick pace. I'll def try this fall cc mix. Daikons too. Btw, I do have a winter garden going for the first time. I built a simple greenhouse with a bamboo frame on a 4x8 raised bed. Bok choi, kale and spinach. Still harvesting now.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’m jealous! I didn’t get my winter crops into the ground in time and am down to a couple of pitiful kale plants 😕

[@danielasmith4928]

Thank You!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Glad it’s helpful!

[@MickyBellRoberts]

Thank you for posting this video, this is what I do. I just subscribed to you.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’m glad you liked it! Which cover crops do you use?

[@JulesGardening]

Nice demonstration and nice to me you.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks! Likewise. :)

[@beerich2117]

I think the best we can do is cover our raised beds with leaves. We had tons.😳 Thank you for this very informative video.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Just adding plain leaves, alone, is also a great option-adds organic content and trace minerals. 👍 Consider the cover crop as “gilding the lily”

[@morgan79347]

I grind my leaves & (I may steal my neighbors leaves as well) mix in the coffee grounds. I have two 55 gallon plastic drums on rollers when it's done I put the wheelbarrow underneath open the hatch. Usually done in a year even though it usually freezes solid in the winter Maine. Worms are awesome thinking about trying an indoor over the winter system.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Coffee grounds!!!! Love it. I throw mine in our (small) worm bin

[@ellenanthony2319]

I put in my daikon seeds kind of late this year and so they were pretty small before the frost killed them . Last year I harvested a few of the main cover crop for the kitchen: pickled roots, steamed greens, etc.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’ve wanted to try that! What recipe do you use for pickling them?

[@Owl4909]

good idea

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks-I’ll post an update in the spring showing how it turned out.

[@doraw7766]

Thank you.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Glad it was helpful!

[@susanbutterfly9579]

Great video! I never even heard the background music 😊

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Ha, thank you! It’s funny; almost nobody seems to notice the music, but the people that notice, REALLY notice…

[@susancarrington8091]

Thanks for the suggestions. It's just too much trouble for me. LOL. I just put a layer of grass and a layer of leaves on my beds, mix them up with a shovel, and they are ready by spring.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I did that in our prior (smaller) yard-we just mowed grass and leaves together and dumped them on the beds. The grass at our new place was chemically treated by our builder and I can’t use it in the garden; I’ll go back to that approach once the chemicals are gone but even then I wouldn’t get enough material for the beds given how much larger this garden is.

[@expat2023]

From 🇷🇺 with ❤!

[@holisticheritagehomestead]

Excellent video! All of that organic matter is probably going to give you great soil. Interesting point about oats roots systems. New subscriber here!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’m glad that it was useful! I’ll also try to remember to do an update in the spring before I plant into it, so that people can see the real-world results.

[@OlufsWaterview]

Nice video. I wish I had a year round plot to do this type of thing with. I have a community plot which is tilled in the fall and the spring.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

That was how I started out. I figure, if we’re growing anything, we are at least building a valuable skill set.

[@OlufsWaterview]

@@WellGroundedGardens so true

[@diegorivada7138]

nuestros estilos son totalmente diferentes (yo soy muy desprolijo) pero me encantó el concepto. Buen video!!!.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Gracias!

[@jaynemar1]

Nice video lesson. Beautiful landscape with the Spruces! ✅ me subscribed! Michigan Garden Girl Lansing/Dansville, Michigan

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Thanks!

[@formatviolation]

GREAT VIDEO. Helps my post summer garden depression! (Respectfully suggest eye protection when weed whacking)

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I know exactly what you mean re: garden withdrawal. And, excellent point-I’m always reminding my husband about eye protection when he’s woodworking, and I should do the same!

[@frkifrk]

nice habitat for ton of slugs under those blocks!

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Hasn’t been an issue in Michigan, but I used to garden in Seattle and cover crops were WAY harder to use, there, because of the slugs 🤢

[@Wakeupandsniffthecoffee]

Leaves are covering the ground here in peidmont area of Virginia and except for the tail end of my luffa growing and hyacinth bean vine, most everything has died back. I have plenty of leaves and a very big pile of wood chips, but I wish I would have grown out some cover crops earlier. I did do one area a year ago. I guess I can just cover the remainder of the garden, minus the cover crops and try. I dont have a nice fence like you do and my chickens, ducks, goose and turkey would work it over, so I would need a good covering that they can't tear up.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

I’m jealous of your chickens! If you let them work the leaves and wood chips over the winter, the resulting compost would probably even do more for your soil than my approach with cover crops. Chickens are on my future wish list

[@user-zc7fm2vm2j]

thank you ..;)) i am in clare county michigan..

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Hey!!! Greetings! 👍

[@chriseverest4380]

Very useful. Thank you. I need a lot of leaves😂

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Your neighbors may helpfully bag them for you 😉 (assuming that they don’t add anything nefarious)

[@janicepell2441]

Great information thanks! I also live in Michigan, the southeastern side. I was just wondering what area you live? I am glad I came across your site

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Southeast as well (Detroit metro)!

[@lindaripp5902]

Thanks

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Glad it was helpful 😊

[@mommybear8672]

Just found your channel. Very interesting video..we're in Michigan too but in the U.P, a completely different world, lol. 🥶😂 Zone 4b..tough growing but I'm figuring it out slowly. We do deep mulch and managed to put in a cover crop this year but found that there was just not enough growing time for it. Ugh, still trying to figure that part out.

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Greetings! Love the U.P. and yeah that’s a different world in so many ways 😂. Short growing seasons are tough. I’ll do another video on this but you may want to try mustard. I planted it as a living mulch under my plants this year and pollinators loved it. It can be in the beds at the same time as your main crops and then you hoe it down at the end of the season and cover with leaves. Not quite as much “biomass” as something like peas and oats but you get roots in the soil, plus there’s decent evidence that decomposing mustard helps fumigate against a few fungal soil diseases 🤞

[@mommybear8672]

@WellGroundedGardens ooh, thank you for the advice, I will definitely try it. I'm looking forward to watching your videos & learning. 😊

[@kristinaorton1047]

When did you plant your cove crops ? Great video thanks

[@WellGroundedGardens]

Planted in late August and crimped/covered eight weeks later, in late October. Our Persephone period (less than 10 hours of daylight) kicks in on November 10th, so I knew that they wouldn’t be growing much after that point.