Clean out your Garden!

 My little gardener helped me harvest the last of the vegetables!  Its been fun to see how excited he gets about helping in the garden and next year is going to be even more fun.  We are thinking of either dedicating a portion of a raised bed for him to plant or adding one small bed in the center of the garden for him to dig around in.

5 Eggplant, Green Beans and Tomatoes

This is the time of year when I get slightly bummed out about having to dig out all the plants and the last of the flowers.  Its time and everything is ready to be pulled up, but I always wish things could stay warmer just a bit longer! 

You may be asking.....why do you have to clean out the beds?  Can't you just leave everything to decompose until spring?  Well you could do that but that may also cause pests, weeds and diseases to overwinter in your beds and then when the temperature warms up in the spring you have problems to deal with!

There isn't anything difficult about cleaning out the beds you just need to find the time to get it done.  I prefer to clean them out before it gets uncomfortably cool outside.  One thing to remember is this: don't compost plant material or flowers if the plant has had any type of disease or infestation.  (You don't want any diseases or problems when you spread your compost on your beds in the spring!)  Its best to have a clean start to the year. Instead put that plant material in a brown yard bag and take it to your curb for the trash to pick up. 

The last of the blooming Zinnias

Humbled by The Master

I have to admit at the end of August I had given up on the garden.  I had decided that it was time to start cleaning out the raised beds.

The garden on Aug. 23rd (before I pulled up the left flower bed)

Two weeks ago I could tell that the Bush Beans were through so I pulled up all the plants.  The left flower bed was also in bad shape so I pulled up all the Sunflower stalks and the wilted Zinnias.  I decided to leave the rest of the plants in the raised beds because I just couldn't bear pulling them up.  I glanced at the Eggplant and Peppers in the last bed and prematurely concluded that we had wasted our time starting them from seed and dedicating almost the entire bed to these plants. 

Bush Beans just before I cleaned out the bed

Eggplant first sign of fruit Aug 23rd

 I tend to have an optimistic personality, but I still have my days.  Lately I have been praying that God would help me trust Him more with my life.  I find that when a large amount of things turn out differently than I have planned and I can't understand it that my grip tightens on wanting control and an immediate solution.  I am not the best with waiting and feel the need to figure things out on my own.      

When things like this happen someone will usually say "God will never give you more than you can handle."  Well the truth is that this statement is not biblical and I am almost certain it doesn't provide reassurance to those with difficulties.  

The truth is: We will have trials in our lives that are larger and more difficult than we can handle alone on our own strength.  God will allow us to be stretched beyond our strength and human abilities to show us our need for Him, reminding us that His strength is limitless, and to deepen our faith.    

Red Pepper plant

When I focus on this truth then I am moved to focus on God and allow Him to be Lord over my life.  Then I can relinquish control.  

I walked out into the garden today and was reminded of this truth.  I had thought everything was "over" in the garden and that it was time to pull up more plants.  After ignoring the garden for the past week it seemed the end was inevitable. 

I found myself humbled when I discovered the garden was still very much alive.  The Pole Beans had bloomed and formed beans, the Summer Squash had produced again, and I found 3 Eggplant and 2 Peppers ready to pick!

Now I know that this garden harvest is not the solution to all my challenges.  But today for me personally, it was a reminder that God is in control of my life and that he provides amazing surprises. 

May you be encouraged by this verse:
Those who know your name will trust in you, for you Lord, have never forsaken those who you love.  Psalm 9:10