Remember when you were a kid, and you’d get tucked in on all sides nice and snug for a good night’s rest so you’d be ready to go the next day? Your gardens need that same care in late fall to have the best start in the spring. Some call it “putting the garden to bed” for this reason! What exactly does this entail?
S – Soil Samples and Reflection
While it’s fresh in your mind, take some time to sort through what did or didn’t work in your gardens this year. Did your coneflower to the left of your door grow and bloom exponentially, but the same coneflower to the right of your door didn’t? How did your tomatoes do? Did you try a new variety that struggled all season? Did they have a bad case of blight you fought all summer? Write down all your observations and take some time to understand the “why”. A great place to start is to take some soil samples and bring them to your county extension office. The results will take a little while to get back, but they will answer a lot of those questions you have and give you recommendations on how to amend the soil to not only help what’s already in the ground but also to set yourself up for success in the spring. You can learn more about how to take the soil samples (it’s easier than you think) at this link.
N – Neaten and Compost
While your soil samples are sent off to be tested, it’s time to start clearing out the old, dead growth from the season. This isn’t important for just aesthetic reasons; it helps prevent disease that may linger into the next season. Remember those tomatoes you were reflecting on that got a bad bout of blight? If you don’t properly remove any dead or diseased leaves, stems, fruit or the whole plant, tomato blight spores can overwinter in the soil – meaning you’ll have the same struggle again next year if you don’t take care of it properly now. Remember to dispose of them properly; diseased plants should be double-bagged and put in the garbage. Toss weeds into the bin while you’re at it, but any old but healthy plant matter, like leaves or trimmings off perennials, to help them prep for dormancy, can all be added to your compost pile. If you’re unsure of what can and can’t be composted while clearing out your gardens, take a look at this article on Composting at Home.
U – Update and Amend
You’ve received the results of your soil test(s) – it’s time to make some changes! If you need to amend your soil, you’ll want to do this now. Think of it like baking a cake; just because you mixed all the ingredients doesn’t make it a cake. It needs time to bake! You can have all the right amendments mixed in, but the soil needs time to amend so it will be ready to support the growth of the plants you currently have or want to add in the future. Adding new plants right away isn’t ideal.
G – Growing Over Winter
If you don’t need to amend your soil to do so, it’s great to get new trees, shrubs and bulbs in the ground. This time of year is ideal to do so because it reduces stress on the plants and gardeners. New trees, for example, need more water, so planting in the summer, although doable, is like pushing a rock uphill. You’ll have to constantly water the tree to prevent it from drying out in the summer heat. Not keeping up with that watering could stress the tree or shrub, making it more susceptible to disease. Planting in the fall gives newly planted trees and shrubs the best chance for success.
This fall, think about making your gardens SNUG for the cold winter, and you’ll surely have a beautiful spring and an abundant growing season in the new year.
The author of this article, Kaela Bernardino, is a Paulding UGA Extension Master Gardener, trained to provide education for homeowners on horticulture, sustainable landscaping, and environmentally friendly gardening practices using unbiased, research-based information from the University of Georgia. For more information, contact Paulding County UGA Extension at 770-443-7616 or view our online resources at www.ugaextension.org/paulding.