Fall & Winter Gardening On Th e Central Coast
If you’ve never gardened before or you are a seasoned gardener, you’ll soon figure out that fall is a great time to grow your own produce. Cooler temperatures & milder sun can spell success for any gardener who takes up the trowel as autumn approaches.
Growing cool weather crops is easy, with less watering and care needed for a successful garden. Cool crops will start out strong, growing quickly and then slow their growth as days become shorter and cooler. You’ll also need to work less to protect your garden from pests, as both insects and animal populations will taper off in fall. And since weeds will germinate less frequently and grow slower, weeding won’t be a time-consuming task. Finally, more rain and less sun and heat mean you’ll need to water less. Once you decide what you’ll be planting, it’s time to get the ground ready. Remove any garden debris from the past season’s garden and remove weeds before they go to seed. Loosen compacted soil, fluffing it up with a garden fork. Adding a two inch layer of bagged compost is always good practice. Plants will need an inch of moisture per week, either through rain or supplemental watering. Most vegetables need full sun - at least six hours per day. When frost threatens, cover your plants with something to keep them warm. You can start out with starter plants or seeds. Of course, starter plants are faster but if you prefer seeds you can germinate them easily on your windowsill and move them outside or you can plant them directly in the garden soil. Continued page on page 34.
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fall-winter 2020
