Nature’s cycle is fluid and full of life. Spring sprouts new birth. Summer brings fruit and vegetation in abundance. In autumn, leaves fall to the ground, returning organic matter and nutrients to the soil. In winter, the earth rests.

The idea that the earth is a living, breathing, ensouled organism comes from biodynamic agriculture, a form of organic farming that includes various esoteric concepts. No matter how deeply you sink your teeth into biodynamic philosophies, the image of an earth that breathes is beautifully soothing and, to me, it sits just right in my gardening mind.

Finding wonder in decay

Autumn invites us to participate in the fullness of Nature’s life cycle in a way that no other season can. In fall, crops are fading, greens are yellowing and browning, and plants are desperately producing fruits, flowers and seeds. Autumn invites us to welcome decay because that’s how new life begins.

When plants and animals decay, microorganisms like bacteria and fungi release enzymes to break down compounds in the organic matter so they can absorb the nutrients in those compounds. During this process, trace elements and nitrogen are released and made available to plants, which provide substance for animals and humans.

It’s easy to love eating a tomato fresh off the vine. Finding satisfaction in watching a seed sprout and become a plant takes a little more attention and appreciation for the subtlety of life. Will you be amazed when this leaf dies, falls and becomes dirt? Will you find wonder in decay?

Mulch with green, mulch with brown

We can encourage decomposition by covering bare soils with mulch. Mulch can be any type of organic matter: leaves, grass clippings, chopped up carrot tops. Opt for plant material that hasn’t been sprayed with herbicide so that you’re feeding your soils nutrient-rich material and not harmful chemicals. Even better, preface your layer of mulch with a juicy layer of compost or alpaca manure.

Mulch can even be alive. Cover crops add organic matter to the soil, increase fertility, improve structure to prevent soil erosion and compaction, and help suppress weeds in the spring. Our climate allows us to explore both winter-hardy and winter-killed cover crops.

Sown in summer, winter-killed cover crops grow rapidly, then die back after a few hard frosts. Their plant and root mass becomes mulch that will add organic matter to the soil and hold it in place until spring. Peas, oats, buckwheat, ryegrass and daikon radish are some of many options available for winter-killed cover crops. These fast-growing annual plants benefit soils in different ways, through nitrogen-fixing, “tillage” and winter protection. Sow a mixture of seeds to learn directly from your soil what it needs by observing the crops that flourish.

Winter-hardy cover crops will stay alive through winter and thrive again in the spring. This living mulch can be annual or perennial plants and can extend your growing season in the case of edible crops. Choose nitrogen-fixers or a blend of cover crops to help replenish your soils. Hairy vetch and clover are two commonly used perennial cover crops.

Nearly any mulch is better than no mulch, so play around with what works best for you. Your garden will likely be happier for it. This month, begin covering bare soils with organic matter or cover crops, and you’ll be more engaged in the rich and rewarding process of decomposition and rejuvenation.

[checklist-box title="Your September garden checklist" extraTitle="" extraUrl=""]

• Plant perennials. Allow them time (typically 6-10 weeks) to get established before the first hard frost. New plants will be ready to thrive come spring.
• Take notes as you observe and enjoy your garden near the end of its growing season. You’ll thank yourself later.
• Begin limiting water to trees and shrubs to prepare them for winter dormancy.
• Deadhead flowers to encourage growth.
• Harvest basil by the stem and keep in a vase of water, rather than in the fridge.
• Keep tomatoes on the counter, not in the fridge. Cold temperatures will diminish their flavor.
• Core-aerate your lawn after a heavy rain.
• Begin mulching and cover cropping bare soils, and order cover crop seed for final fall sowings.[/checklist-box]