7 Ways To Prep Your Garden For Fall

By Janet Wilson | Prescott Gardener

1. Harvest & Cleanup Garden

Work through the garden and chop down any plants that have been damaged by frost. Cleaning up these scraps in the fall will reduce chances of passing on diseases and infestations of undesirable insects, such as pill bugs, that can slow the success of your garden the following spring. Any material that is free of diseases and other blights can be chopped and used for compost.

2. Save Your Seeds!

I like to encourage all of the gardeners we work with to dabble in seed saving, and the best way to learn the techniques is to experiment! There are some great resources out there to learn more about seed saving - visit Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance at rockymountainseeds. org or read Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth. There is also a Seed Library at the Prescott Public Library with several books on gardening and seed saving. While you are there, you can ‘check out’ some free seeds for your garden!

3. Put Up Your Harvest

Plan a garden processing party or get the family involved! The more helping hands, the faster the job will get done and more fun will be had! Canning, freezing, dehydrating, and creating oil or vinegar infusions are some of the ways I preserve my harvests at the end of the season. It’s a great way to continue to enjoy the garden harvests throughout the winter.

4. Fertilize & Mulch

After cleaning up your garden scraps, pull back your mulch and add a 1-2 inch layer of composted manure and work in a slow release organic fertilizer to amend the soil. We use and recommend Dr. Earth - their All-Purpose blend is an excellent choice for the garden. Reapply mulch and let the bed rest for the winter.

5. Plant Greens

As you create space in the gardens from harvesting and cleaning up, you can direct-seed arugula, Asian greens and other cold-hardy crops into the garden. These greens can be enjoyed throughout the fall, winter and into the spring.

6. Plant Cover Crops

Growing cover crops is a great way to build healthier, more resilient soil, which is the foundation of a successful garden. Cover crops such as hairy vetch are an excellent way to keep the soil actively growing through the winter, and in spring can be chopped and used as mulch for the garden. Hairy vetch is a nitrogen fixing plant and will build nutrients in the soil in which it is grown.

7. Shut Off Irrigation Before Frost

Remember to turn off your irrigation and allow it to drain out before frost hits! If you have a spigot timer, bring it inside and keep it away from freezing temperatures. Irrigation systems are very helpful but require maintenance. During warm dry spells in winter, try to run your irrigation system or hard water at least once a month. Although the plants are dormant, we see a lot of plant loss in gardens where homeowners assumed plants didn’t need additional water to get through winter. Consider making a note in your calendar to check the weather forecast and run the system if needed.