Now that the fall is rolling around, it is time to clean up the backyard and prepare for the perennials to lose their leaves. If you have a vegetable garden, you want to ensure that you clear out the plants and prepare the soil for the next gardening season. Here are a few tips that will help you prepare your garden for the fall and set up the soil for the next planting season, while keeping you fit and enjoying the fall colors.
Clear Your Annuals
Whether it is the tomato plant or the small shrubs you planted earlier in the spring and give the soil underneath it a good plow. Make sure to take the plants and its roots so that it does not remain and rot in your soil.
You can also use leftover leaves to mix with the soil so it gets the nutrients it needs for a good planting season in the spring.
Leaves Are Fertilizers
Do not remove the leaves falling off the trees from your garden, especially the smaller leaves. Use it instead as fertilizers.
Mix it with soil and spread it around under shrubs, evergreens and with your planting soil and leave to decompose over the winter. The nutrients from the leaves will strengthen your soil and prepare it to be used it next spring.
Cover Your Root Vegetables
Root vegetable plants will actually survive the winter and will in fact get sweeter and tastier after the first frost. It is important that remain covered otherwise they will just freeze.
Before the first frost, clear out the tops of the plant and cover with a thick layer of mulch either from leaves or other materials available in most stores and gardening centers. Cover with a rag or clothes during the snowy winter.
Plant Your Fall Plants
Many perennials and evergreens would go on sale at the end of the summer and if they are healthy and well taken care off, transplanting them will almost always be a guaranteed success.
Check your local plants store, you might be surprised by the good quality and the prices you will be able to landscape your front yard.
The fall is especially good for planting evergreens. They will thrive as their roots sit in water all winter. You need to make sure that they get enough before the ground freezes.
Prepare for Next Year
Especially, if you want to plant crops that grows over winter time, for example garlic. Plant them in the fall and make sure they are properly covered.
You can also take a chance and spread seeds for flowers and herbs that you would like to see grow in the spring. Their chances of survival are not too high but you might get some surprises.
Clear Out Diseased Leaves
Make sure to dispose of those correctly, do not leave them as they are, spread them in your yard or put them in the composter.
Diseased leaves risk ruining the soil and contaminating healthy plants.