Fall Gardening

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An Introduction To Vegetable Fall Gardening

A lot of gardeners won't even consider fall gardening. They are afraid that the frosts of the winter might come early and ruin their gardens. However fall gardening results in excellent vegetables or herbs and is sure to extend the crops long after the plants, planted in spring, are done. Fall gardening produced vegetables can even be sweeter and softer than vegetables grown during the summer and can result in a brand new twist on the same everyday vegetables.

Differences Between Fall Gardning And Spring Gardening

With fall gardening everything relies on the space you have and what you like to eat. Pretty much like with spring plants. Crops that love heat, for example tomatoes, okra, peppers and sweet potatoes, can produce until the first frosts hit. In some southern areas that can be pretty late. There are also plants that die near the end of summer, like cucumbers, summer squash and snap-beans. But if yo plant these vegetables at the middle of the summer they can be harvested until the first frosts come by. Tough plants will grow until temperatures reaches 20 degrees, but there are also plants that aren't that strong that will only be capable of enduring light frosts. If you've got tuber and root plants, where the top has been killed by freezing weather, you can still save the edible part by using a large amount of mulch.

With fall gardening you've got to make sure to use seeds that will grow to maturity as fast as possible. Therefore vegetables with a short growing season are ideal, since they can become full grown and harvested before winter arrives. You can find all about that on the packages of the seeds, some are labeled "early season" or they boast the days it takes for them to grow mature. Go buy the seeds in spring or early summer, since by the end of the summer they probably won't have any more left in stock. Just keep them stored in a cool and dry spot and they'll be good to go when you want to plant them.
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Getting Ready For Fall Gardening

You'll need to know 2 things before you start off with fall gardening. One is to know when exactly the first frosts will hit, not the soft ones, but a hard frost. And one of the best ways to know this is to buy a farmer's almanac. You'll get exact dates and these things are rarely wrong. And the second thing you'll need to know is the exact time it takes for your plants to grow mature.

Getting ready for your fall gardening adventure you'll want to remove all of the summer or spring leftover crops and weeds. They can spread bacteria and disease if left alone in the garden, so remove them! Next you'll want to spread a few inches of mulch or compost over the area you'll use to garden to increase the amount of nutrients it'll have. Now if the plants from the spring or summer had been fertilized heavily, you probably won't need that much or none at all. Wet the soil until the top layer of it and let it set in for a half a day or a full day. After that you're ready to start fall gardening.

A lot of gardeners flee at the thought of fall gardening because they're afraid of the frosts. But if you plant tough vegetables that are capable of enduring a few frosts, you'll be getting beautiful and rich-tasting produce. With fall gardening you realy get to enjoy your home-grown vegetables.

Spring Lawn Care

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In temperate climates, lawn care requires more attention because of the changing seasons. However, springtime lawn care can be made much easier with careful planning. Here are some things that you should keep in mind when preparing your lawn for the spring:

As soon as your lawn dries and becomes firm, rake your lawn to remove any debris, thatched leaves, or clippings. While you're doing this, inspect your lawn for any damage, insects, or disease, and treat these defects accordingly. Also look out for bare patches on your lawn and start seeding them for new grass.

You can start seeding your lawn right after your first spring raking. To successfully seed your lawn, loosen the soil with a rake before applying the seed. Then, water the seeded area lightly. Keep the seeded areas moist until the new grass starts to grow.

Don't start fertilizing your lawn at the first sign of spring. Wait until mid-April to do so. Although early fertilization makes the grass greener, the roots won't be as deep and healthy. A strong root system is essential if you want your lawn to survive hot summers. Slow release nitrogen fertilizers are your best choice for spring fertilization. Once you apply the fertilizer, lightly water your lawn.
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Springtime aeration is usually done between March and May, allowing your soil to "breathe" after winter. Aeration allows your fertilizer to get to the roots more efficiently, giving more nutrients to your lawn. Manual aerators are best for small lawns, while wider lawns benefit from mechanical ones.

When your grass grows above its optimum height, it's time to mow your lawn. Generally, cool-season grasses have an optimum height of 3" to 3.5". Warm season grasses have an ideal height of approximately 2".