Garden Clean Up Could Lead To A Big Mess

By Phran Novelli

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Watch where you're sweeping that stuff! You're out in the garden, you're cleaning up, it's getting cold and you just want to be done already.

Putting the garden to bed this time of year can be a tiring task but, as pooped as you may be after a session of emptying pots, raking leaves, and pulling weeds, try not to get lazy at the end.

When you're sweeping up, it's tempting to just whisk whatever debris is lying there into the closest spot - such as the nearest garden bed. But that's one way weeds end up growing in new places.

As I was putting things away on my patio the other day, I almost swept a small pile into a garden bed – when I looked closer to see that what seemed to just be dust was actually millions of weedy grass seeds along with morning glories and who knows what else.

As the saying goes, 'One year's seeds equals seven years of weeds.' So go get the dust pan or vacuum them up, because with just one lazy sweep, you could reap a lot of regret.