In the Garden with Estate Horticulturist Brianne Hoover

Get your Garden Ready for Fall

In September there is a lot going on in the garden! We are still harvesting many of our summer veggies – tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and more – but we are also preparing for our fall and winter garden. If you planted radishes and turnips in August, you could still be harvesting and enjoying them now.

This is also the time to remove any plants that have finished producing or are starting to wane. This may include lettuces, corn, onions, garlic, or anything that looks like it is ready to go. The plant will let you know when to free up bed space for new crops. I like to add compost or cured manure to the soil and give it a good till. Be sure to check that your irrigation is working properly and does not need any repairs before the next planting.

If you have not already planted brassica family plant seeds, this is a great time to put in transplants. Brassica family includes broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, cabbage, collard greens, etc. Fava beans are a great choice as well and will grow over the cool season and produce beans in late winter/early spring. Direct seed your radishes, turnips, beets, carrots, leeks and onions. I also leave some empty beds to plant spinach, peas, and other cool weather loving plants that like to germinate when the weather cools down in October or November.