Fall Garden Prep

Here’s how to get started:

• Assessing Your Garden: Begin by taking a comprehensive look at your garden. Evaluate the condition of your plants, noting which ones have thrived and which ones are past their prime. Consider factors such as disease, pest infestation, or overgrowth to determine what needs to be cleared out and what can stay. We ended up leaving our cherry tomatoes and jalapenos for now since they were both still thriving.  We can leave the jalapeno’s all year-round but the tomatoes will eventually be done.
• Clearing out Summer Plants: Remove any spent annuals and vegetables that have finished producing. Gently uproot the plants, disposing of any diseased or infested foliage properly. Compost healthy plant material to enrich your garden soil for future planting.
• Pruning and Trimming: Inspect your plants and prune away any dead or damaged branches. Trim back overgrown plants to maintain their shape and promote healthy growth. Be mindful of the specific pruning needs of different plant varieties to ensure you don’t harm their future development. We trimmed down all of our tomatoes since we were leaving them, and once they stop producing, we will remove them before we plant our fall garden.

• Weed Control: Weeding is an essential task before preparing your garden for fall planting. Remove any weeds that have taken root among your plants. Make sure to pull them out by the roots, preventing them from regrowing and competing with your new plantings. This was my biggest challenge this year.  We bought a fertilized soil last winter that was supposed to prevent the garden from getting a lot of bugs, HA! Instead of bugs, I now have beds full of weeds! Ugh!

• Soil Preparation: Fall is an excellent time to improve your garden soil’s quality. Begin by loosening the soil using a garden fork or tiller, breaking up any compacted areas. Add organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure, to enrich the soil and enhance its fertility. Incorporate the organic matter into the soil using a garden rake or shovel. I ended up taking out some the soil we put in in the winter and am hoping the new soil works just as well but produces less weeds.  I like a mixture of a good soil mixed in with the dirt from the ground, I do not use all soil, but know plenty of gardeners that do and it works well for them.
• Planning for Fall Plantings: Research the ideal planting times for fall crops in your region. Determine the types of plants you want to grow, such as cool-season vegetables, winter flowers, or cover crops. Consider crop rotation to maintain soil health and prevent disease and nutrient depletion. Sketch out a garden plan, accounting for plant spacing and companion planting principles. Before we had a dedicated gardening space, I was gardening out of large and small pots along my patio. We have done broccoli, cauliflower, Blue Lake green beans, all sorts of tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, artichokes, zucchini, lettuce, onion of all sorts, garlic, and of course my herbs, basil, rosemary, and cilantro.  I have done them in pots as well as in the ground, both gave me a plentiful harvest.  It will depend on your region and what grows best there in your particular climate.
• Adding Nutrients: Before planting, consider incorporating slow-release organic fertilizers into the soil. This will provide essential nutrients for your plants as they establish their roots and encourage healthy growth throughout the fall season. Follow the instructions on the fertilizer package for proper application rates.
• Mulching and Protecting: If you live in a warmer climate year-round, or are in a colder climate during the fall months, you may want to apply a layer of mulch around your plants to conserve soil moisture, and insulate the soil as temperatures drop. Use organic materials like straw, wood chips, or shredded leaves. Mulching also adds organic matter to the soil as it breaks down over time. They say it can also help suppress the weeds, but it has not worked for me with weeks, it tends to make more work having to move it around to get to the weeds.
• Watering and Maintenance: Like I mentioned above, before we had a dedicated gardening space, I was gardening out of large and small pots. In our climate during the summer and fall I was watering twice a day.  It’s important to watch your plants for yellowing (too much water) or wilting (not enough water).  If you are just planting, you want to water your garden thoroughly to help establish the new plants’ root systems. After that, just continue to monitor moisture levels throughout the fall, adjusting watering frequency based on weather conditions. Regularly inspect your garden for signs of pests or diseases and take appropriate measures to address any issues promptly.  We have installed a drip system into these beds that works great.  We move it as needed to wrap around the plants and can adjust the length of time they run, how many times per day,  and at what volume.

As summer transitions into fall, seize the opportunity to revitalize your garden and prepare it for a productive and beautiful season ahead. Clearing out the remnants of summer, nourishing the soil, and planning for fall plantings will set the stage for a flourishing garden filled with delights. Embrace the changing colors and cooler temperatures, and immerse yourself in the joy of gardening. If you don’t have a space for a garden, no problem, you can use decorative pots.  Give it a try, with careful preparation and nurturing, your fall garden will reward you with a harvest of fresh home grown produce to enjoy.  Stay tuned to see what I end up planting in my fall garden.

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