The temperatures have dropped slightly this week and fall is on the horizon! This is my favorite time of year to plant a garden and now is the time to start thinking about the fall vegetable garden! This is a wonderful time for leafy greens, onions, and salad crops such as lettuce, arugula, and spinach as well as numerous other cool-season vegetables.
Garden site selection and soil preparation are two important components to any productive garden. Select a garden site that is well-drained and gets at least six hours of sunlight. If you’re planting your fall garden in an area that was used for a spring or summer garden, be sure to get rid of any dead or diseased plants. Remove any weed growth and prepare the soil by tilling or plowing to a depth of 6-8 inches.
If spring and summer crops were heavily fertilized, you may not need to make a pre-plant fertilizer application. If you’re unsure, you may want to have your soil re-tested to check the pH level and to determine which nutrients you may need to add. Soil pH is important because it determines how available nutrients are to plants. An ideal soil pH is between 5.5 and 7.0. Add a fresh layer of organic matter such as animal manure, compost, rotted leaves and/or commercial soil mixes.
Consider crop rotation when planning the garden. Vegetables in the same plant family typically are able to harbor the same kinds of insect pests and diseases, and have the similar nutrient requirements. When vegetables belonging to the same plant family are planted in the same location over and over again, pest populations can build up and productivity of the garden decreases. In addition, fertility issues can arise from planting the same crops, in the same area over again. Since different crops require different types and amounts of nutrients, crop rotation can help even out the loss of soil nutrients.
If you’re interested in learning more about fall vegetable gardening, join us virtually for our Fall Backyard Gardening Series! This is a two-part series that will run from 6-8 p.m on September 17 and 6-8 p.m. on September 24 online via zoom. The first session will focus on garden site selection, soil preparation and fertilization. The second session will discuss fall planting and gardening techniques, beneficial and harmful insects found in the garden, and integrated pest management. Participants will get hands-on experience seeding vegetables seeds and leave with some for their garden.
For more information on the gardening series or on backyard gardening, contact the UF/IFAS Jefferson County Extension Office at 850-342-0187 or by email at dsprague@ufl.edu.
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