I love growing and eating fresh corn.

But now, the corn’s been harvested, the plants are turning brown and it’s time to remove the old stalks and plant some fall crops.

First thing I do is cut down the stalks with my clippers, and stack them carefully into a pile.

Next, I get out the shovel, and dig up the roots, shaking off the excess dirt into the garden bed.

Now the beds are empty, but the drip system is still in the bed. Roll up the drip lines, and move them to the side so that the bed can be amended with fresh compost and nutrients to get it ready for a fall planting.

I like to use a drip knob so that when the bed is empty, I can turn off the water to this section of drip line and still leave the water on for other plants in the garden.

I use the dry stalks as decorations for the fall and Halloween, tying them to the railing.