Before you put away your gardening gloves, follow these simple steps to make sure your garden will be ready for the next growing season.
For years, I abandoned my garden once frost or disease damaged the plants. I'd leave it alone until spring rolled around, thinking I would have plenty of time to clear old plants and prepare the soil for that year's crops. But I always found myself way behind schedule and with a big mess on my hands—not exactly the ideal way to start a growing season.
Through trial and error, I've found a better way to prepare my garden for the next year. Don't make the same mistakes that I did; try these ideas in your own garden so you can know that it will be in great shape once the weather warms up and it's time to plant.
Start Next Year's Planning Today
This spring, we talked about tips for planning your garden. And while spring garden planning is quite common, formulating a plan in the fall for the next year's garden gives you more time to prepare and increases your chances of having a bountiful harvest.
Part of planning a successful garden is taking note of your failures and victories from the current year. Which of your garden beds exceeded expectations? Were there any that struggled to thrive? Were you happy with the spacing between rows and the number of beds you planted?
In my garden this year, for example, the tomatoes did well. Though I may move them to a new spot next year to keep disease at bay, all of the varieties I planted seemed to do well; I'll likely plant the same ones next year.
However, I had quite a few struggles with irrigation due to the ground not being level. Some plants were nearly flooded whenever I turned the hose on while others seemed to barely receive any water at all. Next year I'll be more intentional about creating a level garden so that all of the plants receive equal amounts of water.
By observing and taking note of what went well and what didn't in your garden, you'll have a better idea of what to change next year.
Compost Or "Chop And Drop" This Year's Plants
Don't wait until springtime to remove the last season's plants from your garden. If you do, you'll be missing out on valuable mulch for your garden.
My favorite method of removing old plants is called "chop and drop." Instead of ripping the plants out by the roots, I use a pair of pruning shears or loppers to cut them off at ground level. I then leave the plants on the ground where they decompose and create nutrient-rich compost for the next year's plants. I can cut larger plants into smaller pieces so they break down more quickly or I can leave them whole. Both ways are very effective.
The roots, which are left in the ground, will also compost over the winter. They will leave behind nutrients for the next round of crops, but that's not their only benefit: the decomposing roots also create pathways in the soil for oxygen, water, and beneficial microorganisms.
Still not sure exactly what chopping and dropping looks like? Here's a wonderful short video explaining the benefits of chopping and dropping and how you can easily implement it in your garden.
If you don't want to try chopping and dropping this year's plants, you can add them to your compost pile. You should still consider leaving the roots of the plants in the ground to act as a natural fertilizer. Adding the plant stems, leaves, and branches to your compost pile in the fall will give them time to break down by the time spring rolls around.
Plant A Cover Crop
Planting a cover crop is a simple way to help regenerate your garden soil over the winter. Here are just a few of the many benefits of growing a cover crop:
It will cover and protect the soil. It's always a good idea to have something covering the soil during the winter. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, covered soil is less likely to experience damage from excess wind and rain. A cover crop will also insulate the soil, helping to keep more beneficial microorganisms alive through the months of frigid winter temperatures.
It will revitalize the soil. No matter what cover crop you choose to plant, it will release nutrients that will help the next year's plants thrive. Growing a nitrogen-fixing crop like peas or alfalfa will exponentially increase the amount of natural fertilizer added to the soil.
It will aerate and loosen compacted soils. A cover crop's roots will loosen even heavy, compacted soils. When you plant your garden in the spring, the soil will be easily workable without needing to till it.
We live in northern Wyoming where winter temperatures dip well below zero degrees Fahrenheit on a regular basis. If you're in a climate like ours, or anywhere that experiences temperatures below freezing, you'll need to be sure to plant your cover crop in time for it to become established. You don't need to plant it so early that it flowers and goes to seed, but you need to give it enough time to grow a solid root system so that it can fulfill its purpose.
Add Mulch, Compost, Or Biochar
After chopping and dropping and planting a cover crop, you may be wondering why I'm telling you to add even more material to your garden over the winter. The answer is simple: every inch of your garden should be covered in organic matter to protect it. Chopping and dropping and cover crop planting are important, but there will most likely still be bare spots left in your garden.
It's important to add material to the spaces in between rows and on walkways through your garden as well as to the beds themselves. Even if you've mulched these spaces in the past, the mulch breaks down over time. Adding more ensures that any potential weeds will be suppressed as soon as the growing season starts. Weeds are the first to pop up in the spring—without sufficient mulch, you'll notice weeds growing in your garden long before you add vegetables to your beds.
You can place mulch in between rows, on walkways, and around perennial plants to insulate them. Compost is great to add to existing garden beds and any you plan to add the next year. Biochar can be placed anywhere in the garden.
Not sure what biochar is? You're not alone! This soil amendment isn't as well-known as mulch and compost, but it can be just as beneficial. Look for a dedicated post on the subject in the future, but for now, here are some quick facts about biochar:
It's created by burning organic material (such as plants and wood) at temperatures over 660 degrees Fahrenheit under low-oxygen conditions.
It doesn't actually release nutrients into the soil—but its porous nature provides a place for beneficial microorganisms to thrive.
It helps to improve water retention.
You can find biochar at many gardening retail centers. If none near you have any in stock, Wakefield Biochar offers biochar in a variety of forms to meet your garden's specific needs.
Gardening Is A Year-Round Commitment
Even though the bulk of gardening is done during the spring and summer months, the healthiest, most productive gardens require work all year long. Following these steps in the fall will help you set next year's garden up for success.
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