Fall is a refreshing, beautiful time of the year. Reap great rewards from your gardening plots by planting a garden in the fall. You should also take some time to get your spring off to a great start by planting more bulbs.
• Turfgrass, spring-blooming bulbs, cool-season vegetables, perennials, trees, and shrubs
• Many vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, radishes, rutabaga, spinach, and Swiss chard.
Some benefits to planting in the fall instead of spring:
• Autumn's cooler air temperatures are easier on both plants and gardeners.
• The soil is still warm, allowing roots to grow until the ground freezes. In spring, plants don't grow until the soil warms up.
• The late season is usually bargain time at garden centers that are trying to sell the last of their inventory before winter.
• Some pests and disease problems fade away in the fall
Watch the weather and make a planting plan.
• Always consult the seed packet to see how many days it takes until maturity, and count backward from your frost date to allow enough time.
o The window for fall planting ends about six weeks before your area gets hit with a hard frost, usually September or October.
• Try to plant in the morning when it is cooler out.
• Overcast days when humidity is higher are best, when the sun isn’t as harsh.
• To prevent weeds growing near your bulbs or plants apply an inch or two of mulch to the surface of your planting area. This will help prevents weeds from breaking through the soil surface, and stop the weeds from getting any nutrients from the soil.
• Water your plants right after planting to help them start taking root. Water them an inch each week after planting unless you have had recent rainfall.
o Apply fertilizer at the first sign of growth. Fertilizer should also be applied once the leaves start dying back.
Source: Press Release
