A complete guide to transitioning your garden from Summer to Fall made easy.
As the summer winds down and the crisp fall air begins to breeze in, your garden could undergo a significant transformation. The fall weather doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the end of gardening season. In fact, there are a few vegetables that thrive under cooler conditions!
Extending your growing and harvesting time to the fall months sounds exciting, but it requires thoughtful consideration of plant selection, timing, and preparation of both soil and space. Read on for the complete guide to transitioning your garden from Summer to Fall.
Step 1: Assessing Your Garden Space
The first and important step to prepare your garden for fall planting is to assess the space. Fall gardens do not function the same way spring and summer gardens do, so consider these questions:
Does your garden receive the necessary amount of light for what you plan to grow?
Do you need to refresh the soil?
Are you currently growing fruits, and are they compatible with what you want to grow in the fall?
Do you have enough space for what you plan to grow? Or do you need to use extra containers?
Step 2: Time Your Seed Planting
After assessing your garden space, it’s time to choose which vegetables you would like to start growing. Depending on your zone, you would want to pick a vegetable that is suitable for fall planting as the weather varies for each area.
There are a select few vegetables that have an enhanced flavour after a frost (such as parsnips, peas, and cole crops!), which make them ideal to grow during this time. Below are a few examples of what to grow from zones 4-6 in August from seeds
Zone 4
beets, bush beans, carrots, Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, leaf lettuce, mustard greens
Zone 5
peas, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, Swiss chard, and spinach
Zone 6
Leaf lettuce, swiss chard, spinach, radishes, garlic, shallots, walking onions, and potato onions
Gardening during the fall and winter months provides a small window for actual growing, especially if you don’t have a greenhouse structure to make sure your plant’s don’t freeze.
Make sure you know when to plant each vegetable and to provide yourself with adequate timing to grow them!
Step 3: Soil Preparation and Watering
After your summer gardening, your garden beds and/or containers could use a bit of a refresh! Fall is the best time to conduct a soil test to determine the pH and nutrients levels because the soil has already been worked in during the summer. Aerating and tilling your soil after the summer months will help improve drainage and root growth, however make sure you don’t over-till to avoid soil erosion!
Consider adding our organic biofertilizer to make sure the soil is packed with essential microbes and nutrients for your plant’s and tree’s roots to absorb!
It’s also important to adjust your watering practices to prevent overwatering. As temperatures drop, your garden requires less water. To avoid root rot, make sure the garden receives enough water and fertilizer to establish their roots before the ground freezes.
Step 4: Protecting Your Garden from Frost
Gardening in the Fall could have it’s challenges when it comes to the actual growth of the crops. Even if the crop is susceptible to the cold, drastic weather changes could shock the plant system. Providing the necessary support and protecting for these crops is important to keep your fall garden thriving in this weather change. Here are a few types of methods that you can do to protect your garden from frost:
Applying a thick layer of mulch around the base of your garden and trees will provide insulate against the freezing temperatures
Creating a make-shift greenhouse, and using burlap or frost blankets to cover tender plants during unexpected cold snap
Get to Gardening!
Planning your garden for fall involves a mix of cleanup, planting, and preparation for winter. By taking these steps, you can ensure that your garden remains healthy and vibrant through the fall and into the next growing season. With thoughtful planning and care, your garden will continue to bring joy and sustenance year-round.
Whether you are an experienced gardener or a novice, fall gardening offers a rewarding opportunity to connect with nature and prepare for the year ahead.
Happy gardening!
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Blogger Bio:
Freda is a Toronto-based social media and digital marketer. New to the plant world, she is looking forward to learning all the tips and tricks on how to keep her plant babies thriving! If she's not walking her maltipoo Leo, you can find her practicing yoga or enjoying live music.
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