It’s Not Too Late for a Fall Garden

Susan Cannella & Helen Denny, Gardening Gals, LLC , www.gardeninggals.com

Smarty Gardeners, grab your gloves! It’s time for fall gardening! While
you may have enjoyed a summer of homegrown tomatoes, now is the perfect time
to replace those overgrown, sun beaten vines with a fall planting of leafy
greens– spinach, kale and Swiss chard, to name just a few. And don’t
forget broccoli, onions and Brussels sprouts! All can be planted right now.

Think beyond cucumbers and zucchini of spring and summer. The weeks
between Labor Day and Halloween signal the time for setting out fall seeds
and plants for a cooler weather harvest. What better way to save money at
the grocery store than having a year round home garden.

If you are a gardening newbie, now’s a great time to give gardening a try.
Find a sunny spot in your yard. Your plants will need a minimum of five
hours of sunlight. Remove grass or vegetation and till to a depth of six
inches. Amend the soil with compost or manure, lime and organic fertilizer.
Incorporate these components into the ground using a hard rake. Set out
plants or seeds according to the packaging instructions. Planting seeds is
economical, but setting plants offers a bit of a head start for the growing
season. Garden centers are brimming with fall plants at the moment. Don’t
forget to water. Even in cooler temperatures, young plants need adequate
water to grow and thrive.

As cooler temperatures roll in and more hours are spent inside by the TV
watching football than outside by the pool watching a game of Marco Polo,
your fall garden will be well on its way. This year’s Thanksgiving feast
may very well feature fresh vegetables from your garden!