With the shorter days and falling leaves I begin to think about making preparations for the winter months ahead. One of my projects this time of year is to reorganize the garage. During the growing season, the garage becomes more of a garden shed rather than a place to park the car.

Last week, I gathered and sorted empty pots, hung up tools in their proper place and even dragged out a couple of dead plants to the compost pile. By this time of year there are always five or six bags of partially filled garden soil and other materials that have accumulated.

I gathered up a broken bag of topsoil, an old bag of cow manure, partial bags of lobster compost and peat moss and dumped them into the wheelbarrow. Mixed together they made the perfect topdressing to use in the garden. This time of year, I top dress newly planted material– plants that seem to need an extra boost, plants that are treasured and those that required a hefty investment to bring them home. Top dressing for top down fertilizing is a great practice in the fall garden.