Don’t let the cold weather get the best of you! Earlier this month we shared a few fall gardening tips, and there’s still time to take advantage of these tactics to preserve your garden and keep your garden thriving for years to come.
Hang your tomatoes
If your tomato vines still have unripe tomatoes on them, pull the vines out by the roots(it’s important to pull them by the root, to preserve the plant), and then hang them upside down in a cool, dark place so they can finish ripening.
Plant your spring bulbs
Planting new things in the fall before the snow falls may seem backwards, but fall is the ideal time to plant your bulbs for spring. Don’t wait too late, though. You’ll want to plant your bulbs about 6-8 weeks before the first hard frost.
Plant new fruit trees
In addition to bulbs, fall is the perfect season to plant some fruit trees. Some perfect trees to plant in the fall include apples, pears, plums, cherries, peaches, apricots, and figs. When you’re planting a young tree, make sure that you stake them to keep the roots from being pulled up by harsh winter winds.
Prepare for overwintering
Overwintering is when you plant certain vegetables in the fall, which will result in earlier blooms in the spring. Some great vegetables to overwinter include fava beans, peas, leaf beets, swiss chard, spring cabbage, spinach, and spring onions.
Replace your annuals
Some plants are only meant to bloom for a year. While this may initially seem sad, it’s actually a great opportunity for you to refresh your garden every spring with new flowers, scents, and colors. As fall begins, your annuals will begin to look like they need to be replaced. Replace a few of these spots with a perennial like hardy mums, which will bloom in the fall and provide your garden with a fresh splash of colors for a little while. As long as you plant and winterize them properly, they’ll bloom again next year!
When in doubt, hire a pro
Gardening can be an overwhelming task, and when you’re first starting out you’ll often need help. Seeking out the help of someone who has considerable experience will help you learn new things to help you maintain your garden in the years to come. It will also prevent you from making ignorant mistakes that will take you years to correct.