As the summer garden begins to wane, there are many things that need buttoning up for the Autumnal months ahead such as harvesting the last of the summer garden vegetables as well as tilling and preparing the soil to plant cold season vegetables including kale, cabbage, lettuce, collards, spinach, carrots, and fava beans. Now is also a great time to begin cutting back perennials such as Bearded Iris, Bee Balm, Phlox, Lilies, Gaillardia (Blanket Flower), Shasta Daisy, Hostas, and Peony. Prune foliage down to a few inches above the ground then add compost (only healthy plant trimmings) and clear away any debris to help prevent disease and rot in early spring. Don’t compost any diseased debris – throw it away so as not to infect healthy compost.
A few other reminders for fall planting:
*Plant spring-flowering bulbs: grape muscari,
garlic, allium, daffodils, tulips, crocus, and early spring ephemerals
*Plant shade, flowering, and apple trees
*Pick up pre-ordered bulbs, cold season vegetable starts,
and seeds for winter vegetable garden.