Fall gardening and preparing for colder weather.

Monek Marie

Our growing season has changed over the last few years. we have a much longer fall growing season. Our first frost used to be in early September, now its mid October or even later if you like to live on the edge and take chances.

But this summer has been so wet (surprisingly crops are doing well - its the heat that is also here) getting to a garden can be challenging. Those who set their gardens up that require weeding are losing their crops to weeds. You just cannot walk in the gardens with rows - you sink!

This means I am planning alternative garden planting times and design,

I use mainly raised beds so my late summer crops are going in and they are drier than planting in the ground and I have plans to use plastic row covers for those days of non stop rain. We have this weather for a month or so so I am preparing for the weather to stay as is. At least I have a plan in place and if not needed, covers can be rolled up.

I am also switching some of my veggies to containers so I can move them on and off the patio if needed or even indoors. So this week I am planting crops that take under 70 days to mature or that can handle colder nights.

As for cold weather, it will be here soon enough so preparing my beds for cool nights is a plan for the next week.

Do you all have plans in place for fall weather and weather challenges? And how do you prep you garden beds for colder weather?

VermontCathy

Fall gardening has been neglected by many and really deserves more attention. You can grow plants in fall that would bolt in summer heat, and extend the harvesting without the bolting problem of spring-planted crops.

Here in zone 4, I've found that I need to put most crops in around late July, or perhaps early August for quick-growing varieties. If I wait until the end of August, the time that starts to feel like fall here, it's too late and I won't get much before the snow falls. Fall gardening definitely requires planning ahead.

Monek Marie

One of the things I like about fall gardening is you have a lot less insect issues.

I have found my fall garden to be better and more fun