When fall vegetable gardening starts, it's time to wrap up with your hat and scarf to get outside and enjoy the gorgeous colours as the leaves fall to the ground. Even though the air will be fresh, and you might be wrapped up with your gardening boots on as well, fall gardening is a busy and beautiful time. After summer harvests, it's time to get ready for winter and spring, which means there is a lot to do. But where do you start? We recommend here:
- Rake up fallen leaves
- Mulch beds and borders
- Spruce up containers
- Secure structures
- Harvesting
Raking leaves is a top fall vegetable gardening task
When the leaves fall in their numerous autumnal hues, think of them as they hit the ground as natures own way of replenishing the soil. When leaves rot down, they make a perfect leaf mulch for your beds and borders. Rake them up into leaf bags or even plastics sacks, punch some holes in the sides, tie them up and store them in a safe, dry place until the following year. They can be ready in as little as three months up to one year, and you will be able to mulch your borders with it, keeping weeds down and feeding the soil with nutrients.
Fall vegetable garden means mulching time
One of the most essential and crucial fall jobs is mulch beds and borders with some well-rotted organic matter. This is the best way to keep the weeds down and the soil replenished in spring planting time. Spread a layer of your chosen mulch such as farmyard manure, mushroom compost, a plant-based mix or preferably your homemade compost. Spread a layer of mulch all over your borders and let the nutrients soak into the soil over the winter months. No digging necessary!
Fall vegetable gardening can include cool containers
If you have old plants past their best in your containers, remove them and replace them with winter edibles. From kale to winter salads (with protection) and even edible Pansies will provide you with a pot full of things to eat. Plus, it will look pretty as well.
Keep things safe during your time fall vegetable gardening
As the weather worsens for the months ahead when you are outside in the vegetable garden, make sure you check over all of your structures to ensure they are safe and won't be damaged or blow over - or worse - blown away!
Fall vegetable gardening includes harvests
You might have some summer vegetables still to harvest, so get on top of them before the frosts hit. You may also already be harvesting
- cabbages,
- kale,
- purple sprouting broccoli
- other brassicas.
Maybe even carrots, celeriac and herbs too. Enjoy the harvests as they come and feel satisfied with your year in the garden.
For tools, winter vegs, and accessories, visit us in the store for fall.
