October 10, 2008
Fall preparation for next spring’s vegetable garden
I approach garden work in the fall with mixed feelings. Putting the garden to bed is bittersweet. There is a certain sadness to see the end of the growing season. Then there is that anticipatory thrill of preparing for the spring.
Fall preparation for next spring’s vegetable garden
Let’s tackle the vegetable garden this week. By this time, frost has already threatened what is left. Only my Swiss chard is going strong, but I will be gathering that for dinner tonight. Harvest what you can and then pull up all the spent plants and toss them on the compost heap. Next, turn over the soil thoroughly. Follow up with a thick layer of compost. Top the compost with a mulching layer of shredded salt hay or clean straw. You can stop at this point. You’ve now got yourself a good looking, well prepared bed that is ready for winter as well as spring.
I, however, do something in addition. I cover the whole plot with a layer of black landscaping fabric. It is not as attractive this way, but covered with snow, who’s to know? The fabric allows water and snow to melt through, suppresses weeds and also warms the soil better when the great thaw occurs.
When planning a vegetable garden, consider an ornamental one
If you are planning to enlarge or start a new vegetable garden, I strongly urge you to plan it in the style of an ornamental vegetable garden. Mix flowers with vegetables and design the garden to be beautiful while producing high quality, organically grown vegetables. A good garden must appeal to all the senses. If done right, this can look stunning and the vegetable plot need not be relegated to some obscure part of the property.
The other thing I recommend is making raised beds. Raised beds are not just kind to backs and knees but they also make for better soil conditions and hence healthier plants. You can raise the beds to whatever height you desire. Make the beds small enough for easy access from all sides. Although usually made of wood, I’ve seen more permanent beds made of brick and stone. The beds can be square or rectangular. Circular or oval beds, though attractive, are not as accessible in the center. Traditionally, there are sixteen beds in a French potager. The golden rule is that at any given time, four of the beds should be planted with green manure as part of a crop rotation program.
The uses of green manure in your vegetable garden
Green manure is a type of cover crop grown to add nutrients and organic matter to the soil. It is a natural way to amend the soil. Typically the green cover crop is grown for a period of time and then plowed into the soil so it is well incorporated. Leguminous green manure such as vetch and clover fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. They improve the soil by adding organic matter and so improve conditions for growing. Cover crops suppress weeds and prevent soil erosion and compaction. Other examples of green cover crops are oats, rye, mustard, alfalfa and fava beans.
The paths between the beds should be wide enough to permit a wheelbarrow to pass easily. The paths themselves can be made of dirt, gravel or crushed shells. These, however, allow for ready weed growth and can be hard on bare feet. Personally, I prefer bricks or stone pavers; they look prettier as well.
Fence the garden, as critters must be kept at bay. Make the fence as attractive as it is functional. Install bird, bat and beneficial insect houses. Think about using tunnels of enviro mesh to protect plants. Cabbages and other brassicas benefit particularly from this protection. Netting is good to ward off birds.
I’m bringing all these matters up at this time so you can plan accordingly and be well prepared for the next growing season. There is a big pay off for the hard work you do now.
Make your children your gardening companions
Involve your children in vegetable growing. Teach them recycling and composting, planning and preparing. When planting time comes around, they will be eager to help. One hopes. Provide children with real, appropriately sized tools. These days you can find well made tools specifically designed for little ones. No toy or play tools, please. Those neither work nor do they teach proper gardening methods. With the right guidance, children are perfectly capable of learning well. Let’s not dumb things down for them.
During the winter months, involve the kids in selecting seeds for the garden. Start them with easy growers such as radish and lettuce. Other child-friendly choices are pumpkins, gourds, squashes, sugar snap peas and carrots. Anything mini or dwarf is sure to be attractive to them. So let them grow cherry tomatoes, early small potatoes and such. Nothing succeeds like success.
Once you have prepared and laid to rest the vegetable garden, congratulate yourself. You now truly deserve to sit back in winter, browse the seed and nursery catalogs and dream.
Now’s the time to take advantage of garden supply store sales
As it is the end of the growing season, garden supply stores need to reduce their inventory. Hence, now is the time to find tools (for yourself and the children), composters and rain barrels on sale. Seize the opportunity! Save money and go green.
What to do with still unripe green tomatoes on your vines
Speaking of green, if you have a load of green tomatoes still on the vine, and you know it is getting too cold for them to ripen, you can do one of two things. Pull up the entire plant and hang it upside down in the greenhouse. The fruit will ripen. Alternatively, harvest the green tomatoes. After making sure there is no moisture on them, wrap each tomato individually in newspaper. Store them in a single layer in a dry, dark cellar. Check every few days for ripening.
Of course, you can skip all that and make a big batch of fried green tomatoes instead. Enjoy.
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