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Putting Your Vegetable Garden to Bed
With soaring food prices over the past few years, you may have planted your very first vegetable garden this season. Now that
fall is here, some important steps should be taken to protect your hard work and ensure you'll be enjoying fresh vegetables
year after year.The first step is to remove any dead plants and place them in your compost pile. (For tips on starting a compost pile, see the advice section of our website).
Next, turn the soil using a pitchfork. Simply stab, lift and flip the soil over throughout your vegetable garden. Doing this will expose destructive insects to freezing temperatures and help your soil retain nutrients throughout the winter.
After you've flipped your soil over, use a broad fork to loosen the soil underneath. Simply insert it into the ground and rock it back and forth gently. After you've broken up the soil, add a 4 to 6 inch layer of compost. Earthworms will gravitate to the compost and pull it down into the subsoil to improve the overall health of your planting area.
Put all those leaves you're raking to good use by placing them over your vegetable garden for added protection. A six inch layer, followed by a three inch layer of straw is ideal. Finally, apply fertilizer and give the entire area a good soaking with the hose.
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Perennial Planting Guide
Fall planting isn't just for trees and shrubs. Now is also a great time to plant perennials. With 50% savings and a great selection still available
to choose from, don't forget to include these great plants in your fall gardening plans.Follow these instructions to get your perennials off to a great start.
- Choose the right number of plants for the area to be planted. This information can usually be found on the back of the plant tag, in our online catalog or by asking one of our knowledgeable staff members for help.
- Pull back any bark mulch. Since most perennials enjoy a richer soil, Estabrook's recommends that a well balanced organic fertilizer and the addition of a 2-4" layer of compost, composted cow manure or other soil amendment is incorporated into the soil to a depth of 14-18" every time perennials are added to new areas or existing plantings. Level off the planting area after working in the soil amendment.
- Make sure your plants are well watered, then dig a hole wider but not deeper than the root ball. Remove the plant from it's pot and if necessary, loosen its roots by gently fingering the bottom of the root ball or by scoring the sides of the root ball with a garden knife.
- Insert your plant into the hole and backfill with soil while firming down well and making sure the plant remains level with the sides of the hole. We recommend the addition of a 1" "dam" of soil built 6-8" from the crown of the plant to form a "dish" that helps retain water.
- Mulch the planting with a 3-4" layer of bark mulch or 1-2" layer of buckwheat hull mulch and water thoroughly.
- Check for dryness daily for the first two weeks and water when needed until established. All plants appreciate extra water in periods of drought.
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 Now is a great time to collect a soil sample from your garden and send it off for a full report. You'll know exactly how to improve it for next spring. Haven't planted your spring bulbs yet? Don't worry - daffodils, hyacinths, tulips and more can be planted right up until the ground freezes. |
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