You Will Have Higher Yield Next Season If You Prepare Your Garden for Fall and Winter - A Must Watch Video

Fall has finally arrived, soon those annuals will begin to fade, the temperatures will become cooler and the leaves will start to turn.

You’ve done a lot of work this summer, tending to your plants, vegetables, herb, and so on, but there’s still some more work to be done before you can get cozy in that blanket on the couch.

It’s important to prepare your garden for the upcoming cooler seasons of the year – by putting it to properly, it will make a dramatic difference when it’s time to wake up again next spring.

1. Get Rid of All dried Vegetation

Getting rid of all dried plant material, rotten fruits and vegetables is a must, as some diseases, like late blight, and certain pests can live on what’s left in the garden, such as fruit and foliage. If any of your plants have developed blight, mildew or mold, be sure to burn them to avoid spreading it rather than tossing them in a compost-pile.

2.Add Mulch & Compost

Once you’ve rid your garden of dead vegetation and weeds, add a 1-inch to 2-inch layer of finished compost and lightly cover the beds with old mulch to help protect the soil and suppress weeds. The goal is for the soil to freeze, if it’s possible in your area, as pests and many diseases will be when the ground is frozen. If you add too much mulch, it could prevent this process.

3.Clear Out Your Compost Bins

When you clean up your garden beds, you’ll naturally have a lot of material going into the compost heap. That makes now a good time to clear out the compost from last year and use it around your garden to make room in the bins for this season’s waste.

4.Plant Cover Crops

Planting is a lot more fun than cleaning up, and planting cover crops is easy to do. They’ll help keep soil microbes alive and active during the winter while also helping to suppress weeds and reduce erosion that can carry away valuable topsoil. Ideally, you should plant fall cover crops at least four weeks before the first-frost.

5.Test Your Soil

Now is the perfect time to test your soil to find out if it can be improved by adding nutrients and/or adjusting its pH level. Testing your soil not only reveals its pH but levels of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur, as well as organic matter and lead content. If the pH needs to be adjusted, lime is a great addition and it’s especially beneficial to use in the fall as it will have all winter to dissolve into the soil. Your soil’s pH level is important as it can be critical to a plant’s ability to absorb nutrients.

6.Herb Containers

If you have herbs growing in containers, they’re probably starting to look pretty shabby now, so either harvest and dry them for use, or move them indoors in a place that gets a lot of natural light.

NOTE: The materials and the information contained on Natural ways channel are provided for general and educational purposes only and do not constitute any legal, medical or other professional advice on any subject matter. None of the information on our videos is a substitute for a diagnosis and treatment by your health professional. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new diet or treatment and with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provide.

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