As declination rolls in and the last of your vegetables are harvested , you might be thinking it ’s time to let your raised beds take a farseeing wintertime nap .
But before you put your gardening tools away , there are some improbably fat things you’re able to do with those empty raised layer during declination and wintertime to set yourself up for success next spring .
These simple steps will not only protect and improve your soil over the wintertime months but will also give your hereafter works a head head start .
1.Plant Garlic in Your Raised Bed for a Mid-Summer Harvest
Garlic is a perfect candidate for fall planting , and raised beds provide the ideal environs for it to fly high . The well - drain stain in raised beds help garlic acquire strong etymon without sitting in water , which can stimulate rotting .
Plant garlic cloves in your empty put up beds from mid - September to November . Once they ’re tucked in , they ’ll lay down roots before the earth freeze , insure larger , tasty bulb descend summertime .
Garlic is one of the few crops that gain from winter in the soil , and your raised bed will keep them cozy through the cold month .
2.Sow Onions for Early Spring Growth
Like ail , onion have it off a head start in autumn . Onion set planted in a farm bed will establish themselves over wintertime , quick to take off once spring arrives .
Raised beds warm up faster than traditional garden beds , which hand your onions a maturation advantage .
Simply nestle the onion sets into the soil , mulch heavily , and you ’ll have a healthy crop come spring . The elevated complex body part of raised bottom also protect onions from being waterlogged in heavy winter rains or former leap snowmelt .
3.Grow Cool-Season Crops for Winter Harvests
Do n’t let those raised beds baby-sit empty when coolheaded - season harvest like kale , spinach , and Swiss chard can thrive well into winter .
The great affair about levy beds is that they of course drain excess water supply , preventing root moulder in sozzled conditions , which is idealistic for produce hardy Green .
Use words covers or cold physique to keep freeze at alcove , and mulch hard around the plants to isolate them . With a bit of protection , your raised beds can keep producing fresh greens long after the first frost .
4.Plant Perennials for Early Establishment
resurrect beds are an excellent position to imbed comestible perennials such as edible asparagus , rhubarb , and globe artichoke in the dip . Perennials establish comfortably when constitute in the cooler months , and raised bed provide the stark environment for these plants to get their root settled before wintertime fully sets in .
Because raised beds warm up up quicker in the spring , your perennial will wake up up earlier and take off producing faster than those in traditional garden bed . Just be certain to mulch hard after planting to protect them from freezing temperatures .
5.Enrich Your Raised Bed Soil with Compost or Manure
Fall is the perfect time to refill the soil in your rear beds . After a long growing season , your soil will likely be depleted of key nutrients .
supply a thick level of compost , well - rotted manure , or folio mold on top of your grunge will feed the beneficial microorganisms that know in your raised bed and better soil social system .
In call down beds , constituent matter split down quicker because the soil lean to be warmer and more active , even in the cold months . By spring , you ’ll have plentiful , fertile soil that ’s quick to endorse a unexampled season of ontogenesis .
6.Sow Green Manures (Cover Crops) to Protect Your Soil
Do n’t get your raised beds go bare over wintertime — plant a cover version crop to protect and sustain the soil . Green manures like trefoil , alfalfa , or rye whisky can be sown in fall and will get until the first hard hoarfrost .
Cover crops are big for raised bed because they prevent erosion and compaction , which are plebeian take in raised bed during the off - season .
In spring , just chop up the green manure down and permit it decompose in place , add organic matter and nitrogen back into the soil for your next round of crops .
7.Apply a Protective Mulch Layer for Winter
Before you close up shop for the winter , give your raised beds a respectable cover of mulch . Whether you ’re result them empty or planting overwintering crops , a thick layer of organic mulch like straw , leaf , or wood chip will protect the land from erosion , maintain moisture , and keep mourning band from aim over .
For empty raised bed , mulching also preclude the grunge from freezing solid , which can make it easier to form with come natural spring . Plus , as the mulch breaks down , it adds more organic material to your soil , keeping it rich and ready for planting .
Bonus Idea: Add Worms to Your Raised Bed for Healthier Soil
Here ’s a niggling extra tip : introducing worms to your raise bed in the autumn can boost your soil .
worm will aerate the soil and break down organic topic over wintertime , leaving you with a nutrient - rich bed that ’s ready to go when planting time of year wander around .
Just be sure the temperature stays above freezing when you add them !
Your Raised Beds Can Keep Working for You All Winter
Do n’t let your put forward bed sit unused over the colder months . With a little declension homework , you’re able to turn them into a fireball of productivity , setting the degree for levelheaded plant and bigger harvests next season .
Whether you ’re implant garlic , growing winter greens , or enriching the dirt with compost , these steps will guarantee your raised beds are in top shape when spring arrives .
felicitous horticulture !
