Its just about time to put the garden to bed. We’ve had such a beautiful and long fall to finish off the garden, its hard to think snow…but its coming. So here are some ideas to help put your “tuck in” your garden beds.
Harvest the last of your crops and preserve them. From cucumbers to herbs, its time to preserve those you would like through winter. Pickling, canning, freezing or drying, we here at G4Us strive to supply ourselves with garden produce through the winter. Fill up the potato and onion bins, store your apples and carrots. One master gardener was telling me how she stores her carrots (tops off) in peat moss through out the winter. Another stores her apples in sawdust. If you are fortunate to have a root cellar, its time to fill it with winter squash, etc.
Time to deadhead, clip back, trim bloomers before the snow flies. Pull your annuals and put them in the compost pile. Newer theory gardening says to clip the plant but leave the roots to decay. This accomplishes two things, soil stabilization and aeration. The roots help hold the soil without compacting it and when the roots decay they leave “air space” which helps new roots.
Compost and mulch. I have a mulch plot that I “cook” every year. I use the lasagna method of layering newspaper, grass clippings and organic material (in that order) then repeat. Water this lightly to promote the decaying process. I cover mine with black weed block to help maintain moisture and gather heat. After a winter under the snow, this will be great organic matter to add to planting beds next year. This years plot went to establish two new beds for next year.
Plant a winter cover crop or put a protective layer of mulch in your veggie beds. Cover crops include winter rye, hairy vetch, buckwheat, etc and serve a great purpose when planted in areas recently cleared. Cover crops are not eaten, they are tilled back into the soil come spring and provide a “green manure” for your soil in spring. They also stabilize and enrich the soil. Adding a layer of mulch just protects your soil from contaminants and undesirable seedings. I use aged straw which I remove come spring and take to the compost pile. According to the U of Oregon the best reason to mulch is twofold, it prevents soil and nutrient loss, secondly it creates a healthy environment for earthworms that provide excellent aeration and casings.
Save your favorites in seed. I grew a beautiful heirloom morning glory this year. Why pay for seed when the vine is currently loaded? I harvested an envelope of Grandpa Ott’s morning glory. Will have enough for me and the seed swap next spring. I prefer to use envelopes to store seeds for a couple of reasons, the paper breathes, doesn’t retain moisture and I can write all kind of notes about the growth habit, color, size etc about the plant in general. They are easier to keep straight than plastic sandwich bags, too.
If you are a bird feeder, now is the time to establish the winter feeding area. Time to take down the hummingbird feeder, clean it and store for winter. Put up a seeder, suet cage and or platform feeder over an area easily cleaned up come spring as birds are very messy feeders. A heated birdbath will ensure lots of avian visitors to your area.
Utah Botanical Center is hosting a couple of fall flings: Pumpkin Palooza is a family fun activity on October 24th. There is also a wreath making class on November 12th.
Gather your tools, clean and sharpen if needed. Dull cutters can be down right frustrating, time consuming and inefficient. Dirty tools can spread fungus, pests or disease (yes some bacteria is cold hardy), so give them a quick wipe with some bleach water and store them away for winter.
Your garden journal, its time to update it. It always amazes me how much my garden has changed from the Spring “plan” to the fall cleanup. Keeping track of what you plant where, makes crop rotation much easier the next year. Add pictures, note problems or pests, what you would like to plant again and what you will not. I used to think I would remember, but its just too much data. Being able to thumb back through the notes to see what bloomed when can be a valuable tool when planning for the next years garden. Noting temperatures, good companion plantings, first ripe tomato, etc. can all be helpful information too.
Some notes from this years journal: I found that petunias like parsley and rosemary as companion plants. The carrots I grew just in front of my tomatoes were the largest and sweetest carrots I’ve ever grown. I also learned that cucumbers will vine up sunflower plants very nicely. Note to self: always grind horseradish outside unless you like crying for days. Lettuces grown in the cold are sweeter than when grown in the summer. Oregano will reseed and grow in amazing places. I originally planted oregano in my herb box, it no longer resides there, but down the path and in the rock garden that is some 8 feet away from where it started. Good thing oregano is one the best herbs to dry.
