Alicia Schiermeyer

Gifts of the First People

Fall 2003

Demonstration Garden

The folder of previous students work was mostly from spring quarter, 2003. It contained much information regarding sprouts, collected seeds, transplanted starts, and a to-scale map of the garden. We did not contribute to or use the map much in our work on the garden this quarter. The information on the transplants that occurred in the garden was useful, as well as the information about which plants appeared to be struggling in their current locations.

During the fall, most of the energy in the plants is directed towards preparing for the fall rains and winter freezes. For the perennials and deciduous shrubs, this is most apparent through their slow process of extracting nutrients from their leaves back into their stems or roots, and allowing their foliage to die back. As gardeners, our roll during the fall is mainly to support the plants in doing what they already do well on their own.

As seed heads ripen and dry on the stalk, we collected many and stored them for later planting. We removed the dying flower stalks, reminding the plants continue to putting their energy into their roots, and not into developing more buds.

In some areas of the garden, plants had over-grown their spaces, or sent babies to grow in other beds. Valerian, catnip, comfrey, motherwort, California mugwort and yarrow, were the most virulent. Plants were divided, and babies taken home and planted by students, or made into medicine. This was done when plants had finished their blooming period, and begun their dormancy.

After the plants had been cut back, divided, and the beds weeded, the process of mulching began. There is a never-ending supply of leaves from the surrounding poplars and maples. These were raked from the garden paths and added to the raised beds, leaf beds, and dye bed. Compost was also take from bin #3 and added to the new transplants and the dye bed, before mulching with leaves. I pruned the curly willow growing in the dye bed so it was not growing into the path, or in the way of gardeners working at its base.

Overall, I feel the demonstration garden received the care it needed to prepare it for the coming colder months. There is more to be done, as there always is in a garden, but it has been adequately supported during this transition. For additional support, I would recommend adding more soil to the raised beds; their low level is exposing roots on some of the shrubbier plants. I would also recommend moving the Labrador tea plant out of the respiratory system bed. It needs more moisture then the well-draining soil of the raised beds can provide.