10 Things To Do In The Fall Garden

September 28, 2019

10 Things To Do In The Fall Garden

Hi, Sweet Friends,

There are things to do in the garden now that the Summer has turned into Fall. The plants that are at their last legs, like Tomatoes, Summer Squashes, Zucchini, and Pumpkins are ready to be pulled out and Fall plantings put in or cover crops will be sewn.

In our garden, we are currently mending our bedraggled hoop house cover, that in Spring got caught in a huge gustful wind storm and ripped it all to pieces. We have hopes of salvaging it with mended pieces added to tarp pieces. It may look a bit Frankenstine-ish when we are done with it, but it if serves the purpose, then oh well. We will be ordering a new cover for Spring, but since our growing seasons are odd here in Western Colorado, we are going to get by with this cover for now.

We have new bush beans that are producing,

Our Hollyhocks are finally blooming.

some tomatoes that were in pots to be put in the hoop house.

We have new blooming Calendula/Pot Marigolds,

and some Pac Choy, Lettuce, and Spinach that will be going into the garden space under the hoop house as well.

We will be planting peas, and cabbages this week.

The herb potted garden

will also be relocated in the hoop house shortly. The hoop houses intention is to extend the growing season.

We hope to have placed bales of hay around the hoop house for added warmth and to keep out the snows. Next year, we are also going to try to do some hay bale plantings. It will all hinge on how much trouble the Winter will give us. Rumor has it that the Snow fly will be early and the Winter will be harsh and cold!

But until that all happens, we have 8 things to do in the Fall Garden from Gardenista

1. Plan for Spring-bulbs, garlic, and perennials all need to be planted and pruned for Spring.

2. Water shade plants, but don't fertilize- they will not need food during dormancy.
3. Deadhead flowers, but not all of them- so there are some that will reseed for next year.
4. Harvest the edibles- enjoy the fruits of your labor.

5. Don't stop planting- it's time to plant a variety of cool-season, flowers such as calendula, cosmos, pansies, and chrysanthemums that love the cool weather.

6. Prop up your Pumpkins- as well as your gourds, decorative squashes, and mini-pumpkins to keep them off the ground and from rotting.

7. Compost Bin or Tumbler - Here is the link to my Composting Post
Add the contents of the bin or tumbler to your Fall garden as a slow-release fertilizer. I don't put it directly on the living plants, but put some in water and make a "tea" from it. Drain the composted "goo" and use the dark water for the live plants. If I am not having a continual garden, I pull all the plants, lay them on the ground where they grew, then I add a layer of chicken manure, then the final layer of composted materials. If I have grass clippings, I add this to the top layer. I leave this till Spring and then turn it over a few times to incorporate it a few weeks before planting. Turn this again before planting.

8. Start the Cold Weather Crops - "The bonus is that the flavor of many crops (think beets and carrots) get tastier due to the upcoming cold winter temperatures concentrating the sugars. Plants to grow now: snap peas, winter greens (chard, mustard, and collards) also brassicas (cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli). And don’t forget about adding onions to your list. If you live in a cold climate grow your new crops under a cold frame in a greenhouse."-Gardenista

in addition to the 8 above, I have 2 more things I do in Fall.
9. I also cut most perennials down to a dome shape and cover with leaves. I also put burlap around my roses at the end of Fall but before the first snowfall.

10. We also decorate our porch for Christmas. Sounds weird, I know, but the snow flies early and the wind is harsh in our area. I don't light them until the day after Thanksgiving (as my Birthday Celebration!) but we aren't frozen and rushed to get the lights up.

Apple Chips Post on 10/4/19