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September in the Garden can be beautiful and one of the most important times for you to improve the health of your garden.
Fall is here and the vegetable garden is finishing up all that is left are Brussels Sprouts, Beets and Romaine.
The chickens are molting, which means they are shedding old feathers to promote new feather growth. The yard and the coop are full of feathers and the hens are not looking so pretty right now. This also means they are taking a break laying while there bodies work on producing the new feathers.
The Asters, Goldenrod, Japanese Anemone and Verbena are the only blooms in my garden, so what should we be doing to prepare our gardens for old man winter?
- Plant spinach and cover with row cover so you can have fresh winter salad greens.
- Plant garlic by month’s end for harvest next June.
- Dig up, divide, and replant clumps of overgrown perennials.
- Take a trip to the local nurseries for some new perennial varieties. With the cool weather and fall rain, now is the perfect time for moving and planting perennials.
- Dig up tender dahlias, cannas, caladium, and gladiolus before frost hits; store tubers and bulbs in a cool, dry spot. Want to know how to do this? Click (here) to find out.
- Gathering seeds from your own garden is a easy and inexpensive way to expand your plant inventory. Click (here) to find out how.
- WEED, WEED, WEED, an ounce of prevention will pay off in the spring.
- Start pulling out your annuals and replacing them with your fall annuals, mums, pansies and kales.
- While tearing out your tomatoes, peppers, beans, etc. keep your eyes open for bugs. Remove bad bugs and their larvae.
Fall is my favorite season with the cooler temperature, blue skies and the beautiful colors. Get out there and enjoy your garden every day is a blessing!
xo Amy
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October Gardening; Over-Wintering Tender Plants
Hi Amy,
I’ve tried Brussels Sprouts for the first time this year. I’m not too impressed with the millions of caterpillars that love to eat the leaves! I might have planted them a little late, too, so I’m not sure if I’ll get big enough sprouts. What do you do about those worm like creatures? Is it just a matter of going out daily and picking them off (which is what we did, although we went a bit too long before starting that)? Thanks so much for your thoughts! Dana
Hi Dana,
You have cabbage worms, nasty buggers! I planted late as well, my plants are only 6″ tall, but they do like the cooler temperatures so I am hoping they will have time to ripen and grow and be ready to be picked in early November. With Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Broccoli and Kale you really need to place row covers over where they grow. Try not to plant these guys too one another, and don’t plant them in the same plot next year. Depending on where you are in their growth you could pick them off, spray them with an insecticide soap (organic) and then row cover. I know Gardeners.com is having a sale or you can buy row covers on amazon. http://www.gardeners.com/All-Purpose-Garden-Fabric/11747,default,pd.html?start=4&cgid=VegetableGardening_SeasonExtending. Hope this helps!!
XO
Amy
Thank you Amy! I could certainly try that (next time at least).
Best, Dana
Thank you for this write-up. WE have been wondering what to grow this fall/winter. Have been wanting to grow garlic, and I love using green garlic in the spring but hate paying the high prices. What is a good garlic to start with?
Hey Denise,
I love growing onions and garlic, easy-peasy. Check out http://www.filareefarm.com they are in Washington or http://www.saltrivergarlic.com which only sells Heirloom varieties out of Kentucky. I like Chesnok Red (heirloom), great all around and mild. Creole is another nice garlic, especially if you are looking for garlic scapes. Here is my post on how to grow garlic…http://ahealthylifeforme.com/2012/10/11/garlic/
See you Monday.
XO
Amy