We moved into our new house this spring, and because of all the hustle and bustle there was no time for a big family garden. All we were able to cultivate was a raised bed with a few tomatoes and some parsley.
Both are growing well, and it’s nice to have such a tiny little garden to tend to for a change, but then again – I do like to have more things to harvest at the end of summer. Who doesn’t? But we’ll have to wait until the next growing season for bright summer squash and zucchini, plump melons and crispy sweet corn.
Jeremiah did find time to go ahead and till up the garden plot, and he built a nice little compost pile.
Since we’re fairly sure this land was heavily farmed before the house was built, we wanted to give our newly tilled plot a little boost. Jeremiah bought the “Fall Green Manure Mix” from Johnny Seeds for nitrogen fixation. Ideal for planting in late summer or fall, this seed mix contains rye, field peas, rye grass, clover and vetch. It will help protect against erosion this winter and provide good soil cover.
When my tomatoes give out, I’ll be planting some cool weather veggies like kale and spinach. Dark leafy greens thrive in cool weather, and some (like Mache) will even grow in the snow! Kale and spinach are perfect for making hearty and nutritious soups for crisp fall and winter nights.
Fall has always been an ideal time for planting bulbs, so if you love lilies, tulips, irises and other beauties, this is a good time to get them in the ground and establishing good roots. If you’re looking for low-maintenance perennials to fill up a bed, my favorites are hosta and sedum. Other reliable varieties: Yarrow, Russian sage, coneflowers and peonies.
It’s a great time to work on landscape and design, too. With coolers temperatures, you don’t have to worry about sweating buckets while hauling rocks, stones and big bags of mulch.
If you’re still not convinced, here are a few great reasons to keep on gardening, even after summer’s over:
- Plant nurseries start slashing their prices on both plants and tools
- All those leaves that are falling to the ground make great compost
- Look for old or discounted straw bales, or hit up people for decorative bales that don’t look good anymore; they make great mulch or compost
- There’s less work and maintenance required with fall crops, and it feels so much nicer outside!
