Fall Gardening

Fall is the perfect time to take stock of which plantings were successful & which didn’t live up to your expectations, and start making changes for a better garden. Of course, being completely satisfied is not the nature of most of us who garden. Even the best gardens cry out for improvements to the eyes of those who work in them.

The fall is an opportune time to correct soil problems that were revealed during the growing season. Many tomato growers find themselves running to the garden center to fix blossom end rot just when they were looking forward to a delicious harvest. If your tomatoes developed black spots on the bottom, your soil needs some lime. Applying slow release lime in the fall will prime your vegetable gardens for the next planting season. If you’re not sure, have your soil tested so you can be ready for spring!

It is also the perfect time of the year to amend your soil with compost, or create a raised bed for next year with enriched topsoil. Raised beds drain better, and look better. They can be made more permanent & attractive with the use of decorative retaining blocks or natural stone. The cool weather of fall is a great time for this project, and will save time in the spring, so you can plant right away.     

Many perennials do better when they are planted or divided in the fall. Just remember that foliage from lilies & bulbs should be allowed to brown completely before being trimmed or cut.

Apply bone meal for your perennials & bulbs they’ll reward you with strong growth next spring.