Preparing for Fall Gardens

Buckwheat cut and dropped

It’s time to plant seeds if you plan to grow your own transplants.  We’ve picked up some seeds from the library and have started lettuce and kale under grow lights.  You could put them under a tree or in a carport.  They need plenty of light but they won’t be able to stand up to direct sun.  Keep them evenly moist but not wet.  We keep them in a tray with a little water in it to absorb moisture from the bottom. 

Cowpeas and sweet potatoes 
cut and dropped.  

It’s also time to prepare your garden beds.  Cut down and dispose of spent crops, pull weeds, and apply compost and/ or organic fertilizer.  If you planted cover crops, it’s time to drop them too.  Cover planting beds including any dropped cover crops with pine straw or leaves and keep it moist.  This will create a good environment for soil organisms to multiply as they feed on the decaying roots of previous crops and other organic residue in the soil.  They’ll be ready to give your seeds and transplants a jump start when the weather cools a bit and you decide to plant.  To plant just move the mulch aside enough to insert the seed or transplant.  

Mulch applied over prepared
beds and cover crops