As my gardening season wraps up, I'm left wondering what to do with my spent plants. I've grown zinnias, massive mammoth sunflowers, marigolds, and a few other annuals this year. Should I just pull them out of the ground? Is it better to leave them in place for the winter, or do they help the soil if I let them decompose? And what about those giant sunflower stalks? This is my first time gardening, and I've been contemplating this all season!
3 Answers
Don’t forget to collect seeds from your marigolds before cleaning up! And I’d recommend leaving your sunflowers standing until it freezes; the birds will appreciate it when they come searching for food.
I generally pull up all the annuals and toss them into a big trash can. Then, I shred them up with a string trimmer (while making sure to stay safe!), which I mix back into the soil for mulch. It’s a bit chaotic but it gets the job done!
I usually leave my plants as they are to provide habitat for critters overwintering. I might tidy things up a bit but don’t go overboard until spring. It's nice to know the wildlife can benefit from them!
Same here! I love seeing foraging birds visiting my garden. ?
That sounds hilarious! I can just picture you doing that! 😀