| Many gardeners do not even consider fall | | | | When fall gardening, make sure and pick the |
| gardening because of the winter frosts that might | | | | vegetables with the shortest growing season so |
| make an early appearance. On the contrary, fall | | | | they can be full grown and harvested before the |
| gardening will result in excellent vegetables and will | | | | frost arrives. Most seed packages will be labeled |
| extend crops long after spring planted plants are | | | | early season, or you can find the seeds |
| finished. Vegetables produced from fall gardening | | | | boasting the fewest days to maturity. You may |
| are sometimes sweeter and milder than those | | | | want to go after your seeds for fall gardening in |
| grow in the summer and offer a brand new taste | | | | spring or early summer; they are usually not kept |
| to the same old veggies. Many gardeners do not | | | | in stock towards the end of summer. If they |
| even consider fall gardening because of the winter | | | | are stored in a cool and dry location they will |
| frosts that might make an early appearance. On | | | | keep until you are ready to plant. |
| the contrary, fall gardening will result in excellent | | | | In order to know exactly when the best time to |
| vegetables and will extend crops long after spring | | | | start fall gardening, you must know about when |
| planted plants are finished. Vegetables produced | | | | the first hard frost will hit your area. One of the |
| from fall gardening are sometimes sweeter and | | | | best ways to tell this is by a Farmer’s |
| milder than those grow in the summer and offer | | | | Almanac. They will give you exact dates and are |
| a brand new taste to the same old veggies. | | | | rarely wrong. You will also need to know exactly |
| What you choose to grow during you fall | | | | how long it is going to take your plants to mature. |
| gardening will depend on your available space and | | | | To get your soil ready for fall gardening you must |
| what you like to eat, just like spring plants. Even | | | | first remove any leftover spring/summer crops |
| the crops that enjoy the heat, such as tomatoes, | | | | and weeds. Crops leftover from the last season |
| sweet potatoes, okra, and peppers, will produce | | | | can end up spreading bacteria and disease if left in |
| until frosts hit, which can be pretty late in the | | | | the garden. Spread a couple of inches of |
| year in southern areas. However, there are | | | | compost or mulch over the garden area to |
| some plants that will quit towards the end of | | | | increase the nutrients, however, if spring plants |
| summer like snap-beans, summer squash, and | | | | were fertilized heavily it may not need much, if |
| cucumbers. If these vegetables are planted | | | | any. Till the top layer of soil, wet it down, and |
| around the middle of the summer they can be | | | | let it set for about 12-24 hours. Once this has |
| harvested until the first frosts as well. Hardy, | | | | been done, you are ready to start planting. |
| tough vegetables will grow until the temperature | | | | Many gardeners will run from fall gardening so |
| is as low as 20 degrees, but those that | | | | they don’t have to deal with frosts, but if |
| aren’t as strong will only be able to grow | | | | tough, sturdy vegetables are planted they can |
| through light frosts. Remember that if you have | | | | withstand a few frosts and give you some |
| root and tuber plants and the tops are killed by a | | | | wonderful tasting produce. Fall gardening gives |
| freeze the edible part can be saved if a large | | | | you the chance to enjoy your vegetable garden |
| amount of mulch is used. | | | | for at least a little bit more time. |