The Benefits of a Fall Garden

Growing a garden in the fall doesn't even cross most gardener's minds because of all the bad weather that comes with the winter. But the truth is by growing a garden in the fall you can be assured of excellent crops that last way longer than things that you planted earlier in the spring months. A lot of the vegetables that are grown in the fall tend to taste different and better than those grown during other seasons.

Make sure that you have a lot of extra room to grow your garden before you begin your fall garden. You can even grow crops that are usually own planted in the summer months. These crops will grow until they are hit by a lot of ice. Plants like cucumbers and squash are not recommended to grow in the fall. But even they can live until they are hit by ice, also. Strong, sturdy vegetables can grow in some of the coldest weather, but the weaker ones will probably die out if hit with lots of heavy frost. Using a hefty amount of mulch can help protect edible parts of roots and tuber plants, even if the top of the plants are frozen.

If you do decide to grow a garden in the fall try to grow vegetables that don't take that long to grow so that can be harvested before the ice and frost arrives. You can usually tell from the package on the seeds that you buy how long it will take before they grow. Buy the seeds that are in stock toward the end of the summer. Those are the ones that are best for a fall garden. The seeds should be kept in a dry area until you are ready for them.

Make sure that you remove any leftover crops or weeds before you start getting your dirt ready for your fall garden. Disease and bacteria can spread from previous season crops if the old crops are not properly removed from the garden. You might not need to use much mulch or compost if there is lots of fertilizer left over from the spring plants.

A lot of gardeners hate the thought of planting a garden in the fall, but if you plant hard, strong plants they will be able to stand frost. You can delight in your garden and vegetables a little longer by growing a fall garden.