It’s never too late to get pressing tasks done in our mild climate
One of the well things aboutvegetable gardeninghere inNorthern California , is that there ’s seldom any truthful downtime . Whether it is winter , bound , summer , or crepuscule , there are job to be done , delicious and alimental homegrown vegetable to beharvested , and seeds or transplants to be planted . Late fall can be a particularly busy time .
Our climate is wonderfully soft , meaning many of our fall vegetable garden task are just a repeat of those we did all spring and summer . weed stay a anteriority , especially if we ’ve received a pelting shower bath or two to further come germination . Troublesome pestilence likeslugs and snailsmust always be monitored and celebrate in check , and take in for disease or fungous egress is a twelvemonth - troll occupancy . cervid , rabbit andgophersare problem in many area , and these plague need just as much repelling in pin as they do the rest of the year . The follow are a few other specific task that should be undertaken in belated decline .
1. Be sure to continue harvesting, sharing, canning, and freezing
Before we dive mightily into the late autumnal chore all-important to a healthy , high - yielding , food - yield garden , do n’t forget that downfall is first and first harvesttime . With our mild temperatures , late - fall garden bed are often still filled with plant that are n’t quite finished producing bounteous crop . Pay special attention to warm - seasontomatoes , maize , squash rackets , andpumpkins . The chore highest on the list this metre of twelvemonth is the harvesting , communion , and preservation of the teemingness so that nutritious homegrown produce can be enjoy into winter . Be trusted to find fault your perfectly mature vegetable betimes in the daylight for best outcome .
2. Perform a deep clean
Fall cleanup is an essential part of disease and blighter command in your veggie garden . Remove fall offshoot and overthrow pots , and rake up leave and plant rubble in decree to reduce the number of hiding shoes useable for any earwigs , bullet , and snail hoping to overwinter in your garden .
Pull dead annuals and weedsbefore they go to seed , and all tired , spent summer veggie plant once they ’ve stopped produce . add up all garden detritus — aside from anything obviously diseased — to thecompostpile . Before tossing , check off for signs of fungal infection or any other suspicious lesions on the deadened and dying plants , and be sure to dispose of these directly into the trash can to avoid potential spread of disease .
3. Revitalize your garden beds
Once all the expend plants have been take away , a exhaustive pestis - and - disease review has been done , and all emergence trade with , it ’s prison term to rectify the soil in preparation for your late - fall and winter vegetable garden . Summer veg plant are heavy feeders , consuming a tidy sum of nutrients , minerals , and constitutional matter so as to flourish and bring forth all that summer bounteousness . Because your fall - garden vegetables and plant can only be as skilful as the soil they ’re grown in , it is vital that yourevive exhausted soilbefore planting anything novel ( like cold crops ) . Add a 4- to 6 - inch layer of ample , well - composedmanureor compost ( or better yet , a 50:50 mixture of the two ) to your garden beds , and grok it in to a depth of at least a foot . In my own garden , I also add a well - balanced chondritic organic fertilizer at the same time for an extra boost , and then let the freshly dug beds sit for a week before plant .
4. Plant fall and winter vegetables
Not only is it the perfect time to plantonionandgarlicsets ( which you ’ll harvest the adopt summertime ) , but in fall there are seed you may sow now ( radishes , common beet , fava beans , and cultivated carrot ) and starts you may transplant for enjoy all winter and into leaping . Brassicas(broccoli , Brassica oleracea botrytis , kale , turnip cabbage , collards , brussels sprouts ) , peas , chard , pelf , Spinacia oleracea , Asian putting green , andlettucesall flourish in fall and winter . Most are also frost - resistant ( needing no protection ) , and all deserve a blank space in the cool - season veggie garden . If you have n’t alreadystarted your own seeds indoors , your local garden centerfield may be well stocked with fall and wintertime vegetable starts .
5. Monitor irrigation systems, and assess your tools
Unless it ’s been a particularly dry drop , irrigation docket can be dial way back or even turned off completely , as previous autumn generally heralds the showery time of year in Northern California . However , it is of import to be cognisant of peculiarly dry periods and either hand - water or switch your organisation back on again if your plants appear to be struggling .
in conclusion , fall is a fabulous fourth dimension to take stock , organize , andsharpen and clean all of your garden toolsin preparation for the following year ’s busy spring .
For more on vegetable gardening in Northern California , sink in here .
— Fionuala Campion is the owner and managing director of Cottage Gardens of Petaluma in Petaluma , California .
exposure : Fionuala Campion
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Late fall is the time to think about preserving late crops for the winter and amending garden beds for new plants.
Late-to-mature veggies like ‘Glass Gem’ corn and most winter squash should now be ready for picking, curing, and preserving, which will ensure you can enjoy them in December and beyond.
Now is the time to pull out any dead or dying summer plants like these tired bean vines. Inspect the decaying material for any disease before deciding if it’s destined for the compost pile or trash bin.
After amending your beds with compost and/or manure, you can add an extra boost of nutrients with a light application of a granular fertilizer. Just be sure to wait a week until planting again.
Fall is great for replanting the vegetable garden. You can generally find transplants for some cold crops at your local nursery, or you can start your own seeds inside. Just be sure you’re selecting crops that can withstand cooler temps.
