We all know some fall planning can help prep for the spring season. For many, fall is seen as the cleanup season: manage your soils, prepare sod, clean bed, etc. But what some don’t realize is that you can still have a thriving garden even in the cold Autumn weather. Planting spring bulbs and pulling out summer blooms will help tremendously with next year’s bounty, but there are excellent options you can add right now to your garden.
Prepping your garden for fall and winter doesn’t mean it has to be barren. While it will help protect your plants for the coming colder months, doing maintenance will allow you to introduce beautiful fall colors to your landscape.
Fall Garden Ideas
This season’s garden should feature some of the most autumnal colors. The best plants to add are kale, asters, cyclamen, chrysanthemums, and pansies. You can plant trees or shrubs too during this time, as they will retain enough moisture for the dormant period of winter. This can help reduce the risk of transplant shock.
Vegetable Gardening Isn’t Dead
Many first-time gardeners assume fall and winter mean their garden is to be off-limits. After prepping and cleaning for winter, they don’t think there’s anything they can do. But that is not true at all. There are a good amount of plants that can grow up until the first frost. To keep the plants healthy and happy, use row covers cold frames and mulch. There might even be late-season sales on some plants. Some veggies you can grow are kale, broccoli, and cabbage. If your climate is on the mild side, you may even keep growing lettuce, hard-necked garlic, and root crops like carrots and radishes.
Once fall comes to an end, you can remove the vegetable plants and any weeds and debris. A great cover for your garden can be done using the leaves falling in your yard! Rake them up and mow over them to create an excellent cover, rich in carbon and nitrogen.
For a gardener, the end of a season can be sad. But there is always something you should be doing with your garden throughout the year. Follow these great winter gardening tips for when Fall is over, to ensure you have a highly productive spring season!