To Pull or Not To Pull….That is the Question

I’ve gone back and forth for years, trying every new and hip way to deal with spent plants and weeds. Do I pull? Do I trim? Do I cut? Do I yank? Do I compost? Do I throw it down?
Do I pull or not pull…..That is the question.

All these nonsensical time-sucking thoughts about weeds have brought me back, full circle, to the heart of the matter….Soil. Different garden conditions require different gardening techniques. There is not a “one size fits all” concept in gardening. English Cottage Gardens grow and behave differently than the Desert Native Gardens of the Southwest. I didn’t want to accept this truth for a long time. I grew up in Montana with lush, rich soil and Peonies.Now I’m in the Texas Hill Country….gardening in 112 degree granite gravel, sand and rock. The idea that my flower bulbs were forced to live in nutrient-depleted rocky soil was a horrible reality that I didn’t want to accept. Even the previous owner of the studio property told me truth. “Gardens? Here?” (He laughed) “You won’t be able to grow anything here. The soil is TERRIBLE!”
I felt that the soil comment was a direct challenge to my gardening pride. Now I *had* to grow things at the studio. After the 2018 flood, all the flower bulbs had to relocate to the studio grounds and I was *forced* to put my money where my mouth was….plant gardens in terrible soil.

So how does soil relate to whether or not to pull, cut, compost or ignore the weeds in your garden? Because my friends, soil is life. Anything that grows in the ground becomes potential nutrients for your flowers. Some soils are rich enough that it’s ok to pull up a weed or spent plant, and toss it in the compost. But other soils need as much help as they can get. Some soils, like mine, are desperate for the rotting process, allowing the earthworms and other microorganisms to do their job…bring life back to the soil.
Over the past few years, I’ve shifted my focus from forcing gardens to grow, to growing beautiful soil. The change in my garden speaks for itself…..although I still have rocky soil, I now have earthworms. A beautiful first step into a land flowing with milk and honey (and flower bulbs). Here are a few natural techniques that have helped improve my soil. 

First, I have started to cut the spent annuals and wildflowers down to the ground and leave the root ball to rot under the earth. I read that the number one problem with modern American gardens (besides the obsession with Miracle Gro) is the lack of decay that is allowed in the garden. Decay is a natural process, and as far as I’m concerned, nature does it way better than I could ever dream of. The cool part about letting the root-ball rot is that it prohibits other weeds to take over the area. The roots can’t compete with what is already there, even if it’s rotting under ground. I started this technique during the hard summer droughts, and so far, I really like the result.

Second, seed-free weeds are pulled and simply thrown down into the garden using a piling method. Piling weeds and other debris creates mulch for the garden and a natural composting habitat around your plants. The garden debris also inhibits other weeds from popping up in that location. Disclaimer… I don’t not pile during the summer. The clippings dry out too fast, and the overall process creates too much heat, which is not good for your soil or plants. The idea of piling is to protect the soil from the elements, not create an oven environment, hot enough to fry an egg.

Third, I cut the seeds and either collect, or throw them in the trash. There is misinformation out there that the seeds won’t germinate in compost….False. I’m not a composting expert, but when I get lazy and throw seeds into the compost, they ALWAYS germinate. Now,I simply walk around with a bucket and a pair of scissors.
A lot of these techniques can be found in the gardening classic Lasagna Gardening by Patricia Lanza. This book changed my life. Lately, I’ve been reading Grow your Soil by Diane Miessler. I love her philosophy about nurturing the soil. My flower bulbs seem to really appreciate the benefits.

To cut or not to cut…..That is the question. I hope you find your own techniques that help your gardens flourish. Remember, one size doesn’t fit all. There’s no right and wrong if your soil and plants are reaping the benefits of your labor.
Happy Gardening, my friends! Keenan at Heirloombulbgirl