the fall cleanup chore I happily skip ✂️

With the multiple freezes we had last week, my summer beds are officially done. The tomatoes, squash, beans, and zinnias are crispy, brown, and ready to come out. Except I'm not pulling any of them out. Most fall cleanup lists tell you to yank every spent plant out by the stem, whack the root ball against the bed to knock off the dirt, and haul the whole mess to the compost pile. I know, leaving dead roots in the ground looks like you gave up on the garden—but those roots are some of the best...