Fall Garden Prep Guide

Fall is one of the most important seasons in the garden. What you do now sets the stage for next year's success. A little effort in autumn pays dividends come spring.

September-October: Active Season

Harvest and Clean Up

• Harvest all remaining vegetables before frost
• Pull spent annual plants
• Remove diseased plant material (don't compost!)
• Leave healthy plant debris for soil life

Plant Fall Crops

Many vegetables thrive in cool fall weather:

• Quick crops: Lettuce, spinach, radishes
• Cold-hardy: Kale, collards, Brussels sprouts
• For spring: Garlic, shallots, perennial onions

Soil Building Tasks

Add Compost

Spread 2-4 inches of compost over all beds. Winter rain and snow will wash nutrients into the soil, and soil organisms will incorporate it naturally.

Plant Cover Crops

Cover crops protect and improve soil over winter:

• Winter rye: Extremely cold-hardy, massive root system
• Crimson clover: Fixes nitrogen, beautiful in spring
• Austrian winter peas: Nitrogen-fixing, cold-tolerant
• Hairy vetch: Great nitrogen producer

Test Your Soil

Fall is ideal for soil testing. You'll have results before spring and can amend accordingly. Add lime or sulfur now to adjust pH by spring.

Perennial Care

Berry Plants

• Remove old canes from raspberries/blackberries
• Mulch strawberry beds after hard frost
• Add mulch around blueberries

Fruit Trees

• Clean up fallen fruit (pest prevention)
• Apply dormant spray after leaves drop
• Wait until late winter to prune
• Protect young trees from deer and rodents

Tool and Infrastructure Maintenance

• Clean and oil tools before storing
• Drain and store hoses
• Winterize irrigation systems
• Repair raised beds and fences
• Clean and store row covers
• Service mowers and tillers

November: Put the Garden to Bed

• Add final layer of mulch (leaves are free!)
• Protect tender perennials
• Empty and store containers (or insulate)
• Take notes on this year's successes and failures
• Order seed catalogs for winter planning