Fall is an crucial time of year for your vegetable and flower garden . When the days are getting shorter and the last of thetomatoesjust wo n’t ripen , there ’s no time to hanker for the dog days of summer , because there ’s heap to do .
Plant Spinach Seed.
If you like to range through Fall with impertinent leaf vegetable , plant prickly-seeded spinach seed inAugustso it will be ready for an October crop . If you ’d like Spinacia oleracea betimes in the leaping , plant semen in October and allow it overwinter .
Divide Perennials.
Every few years you demand todivide hostas , geraniums , daylilies and the like . Where Hosta are getting too crowded , hollow up the entire plant and dig out the center ( oldest part ) . Throw the plaza hosta into the compost pile and plant the rest of the piece of music in new localization . Many other plants just need to be dig up , cautiously separated and transplanted . regulation of thumb is to divide spring and summer bloom perennials in fall and hang bloom perennial in spring . Here ’s a overnice fact sheet ondividing perennial from Clemson University .
Harvest Potatoes.
reap potatoesearly in the evenfall , before Robert Lee Frost . If the tops of the plants have n’t already give way off , cut off the remaining big top and leave the potatoes in the soil 1 - 2 weeks . This will end the tuber growth and help the hide thicken so they stack away well . To harvest the potato , run your deal through the vegetable layer , feel your mode for them . you may flex the bed with a shovel or garden fork to observe the potatoes , but be careful not to slice them in two . Store spud in potato bin a cool , dark , humid room . Do not launder before storage – provide them just as they are , dirt and all .
Mulch Garden Beds.
overlay your dormant vegetable garden beds and open areas of flower beds withmulch . Wind , freeze temperatures , snow , hoar and methamphetamine will degrade your grease and possibly damage plant root unless they ’re insulated with straw , wood poker chip , or some other organic material . I always spread out a thick layer of compost on the bed before I mulch them to fee the soil over the winter .
Plant A Cover Crop.
In veggie beds , many gardener use cover crop over the wintertime . Acover cropis grown for its insulate dimension and to check the soil , and is typically tilled into the garden bed in other spring . Examples of cover crop are oat , hairy vetch , daikon radish , or rye gage .
Plant garlic.
Mid - October ( in Zone 6 ) is the time toplant ail for harvesting next summer . Buy a variety appropriate for your area , split up the cloves off , skin them , and plant them in about 2″ of territory , level end up ( for stock sizing ail – larger bulbs must be constitute deeper ) . Make certain you score where you ’ve planted the clove , as it ’s well-heeled to forget over the winter . New garlic foliage may poke through the soil before the first snow .
Plant flower bulbs.
outpouring blooming bulbs should be implant now . Plant in mid to recent October to belittle the effects of any Fall warm spell which may produce former ontogeny . Spring blossom bulbs necessitate a period of chill ( winter ) followed by lovingness ( spring ) to bloom properly .
Transplant perennials.
Transplant any perennial which does n’t wish its situation . If a flower or shrub is struggle due to pitiable siting , move it to a dissimilar full stop on your property where it get more sun or nicety or skillful drain . crepuscle is an excellent clock time to plant or transplant , because the melody temps are cool but the soil is warm enough to encourage considerable root growing .
Hold off on cleaning up the garden.
Back in the day , it was recommend that you clean up dead and decaying leafage to obviate developing fungous diseases in your garden beds . The advice now is to delay that cleanup until the next spring , with the elision of diseased plants which should be bagged . Allow stems to remain stand as it provides a winter home for pollinator . Allow at least some folio to lay in your garden layer , as it further beneficial fungus to spring up , back up thesoil food web . to boot , some of this dilapidate dust can provide similar insulating quality to mulch , protecting your soil over winter .
Make Compost.
Add leave of absence , yard waste and kitchen scraps to yourcompost pileand give it a stir .
Get meddlesome , there ’s lots to do !
