After a busy and productive spring and summer growing season, it is tempting to plant fall crops and consider resting until spring. There are plenty of fall chores you can do before the spring seed catalogs arrive that will help you get a head start on your garden. By doing a little each day in autumn, your homestead will be ready for another productive growing season as soon as you can work the ground in early spring.
First, let’s consider the fall garden. Many fall gardens fail because the seeds are not planted properly. The instructions found on the back of seed packets only apply to spring crops. When you plant fall crops in the heat of summer, you must plant the seed an inch deep to ensure you have a healthy root network before the first sprout shows itself. Germination will take two or more weeks, but the plant will be able to withstand a variety of harsh conditions.
Once your fall seeds are safely in the ground, there are monthly chores that will keep you busy and your garden healthy.
In addition to these general chores, you can start a compost pile and create garden beds that will be ready to use in spring.
To start a compost pile, spread a layer of plant material such as leaves, weeds, or grass clippings on the ground or in a bin. Chop large plant material into small pieces and mix with finer weeds and grass clippings. Top with shallow layers of manure or a few handfuls of nitrogen-rich fertilizer, topsoil, and kitchen scraps (no meat, dairy, fat or bones). Continue adding layers until the pile is 4′-6′ high. This size will hold the heat necessary for decomposition while still allowing enough airflow to minimize odor. Keep the compost moist but not soggy. Cover the compost pile with a tarp or sheet of plastic during a heavy rainfall.
Turn the pile every three to four weeks. This will help to discourage odor and flies, as well as to encourage even decomposition.
You may find you need to add small amounts of nitrogen periodically to keep the decomposition process working. Simply add some fresh manure or blood meal to the layers.
Your compost is ready to use when it is very crumbly and the materials you started with have decomposed beyond recognition. This usually takes about three months. Sift compost through a coarse, 1” mesh screen to remove any large pieces that have yet to break down.
To easily create a new garden bed, layout the perimeter you want using stakes and string. Remember when choosing the location for your new bed that vegetables, herbs, and flowers need a lot of sun. Once you have your perimeter staked out, set your lawnmower to the lowest possible setting and mow inside the perimeter as short as possible. There is no need to remove the clippings.
Once you have mowed inside the perimeter, water the area thoroughly then cover with a thick layer of old newspapers. Water again, saturating the newspapers until they are flat and heavy. Stomp on the papers to ensure they are in close contact with the soil.
Cover the newspapers with long, overlapping strips of a woven weed barrier. Weigh down the side and overlapping edges with bricks or stones. Do not use black plastic. For this technique to be effective, your garden bed must receive rain and air.
In two to three months your new bed will be clean and ready for planting. Simply roll up the weed barrier and store for later use. Remove newspapers and dry before burning. If this bed is for flowers or vegetables, you can add manure or compost. There is no need to dig it in. Apply it to the top of the bed and scratch it in with a garden rake. If this will be an herb bed do not add any manure or compost.
Have fun this fall planning and working on next year’s garden. Although hibernating through fall and winter may sound warm and wonderful, you will be proud of yourself and your garden come spring.
In the tens of thousands of years that people have cultivated the land to raise…
Hydroponic gardening is not new, but it has seen an increase in popularity lately. This…
I’m an off-grid homesteader, which means I come from a pretty extreme end of the…
Perennials offer great value in the flower or shade garden. These plants come back year…
Would you like to create an edible landscape? Some individuals are turning their lawns or…
Meatloaf wasn't something we Shelton kids had much of growing up. A fact that seems…