One Life to Live, One Garden to Love
By VIRGIL ADAMS
Living, loving, and gardening have a lot in common. They really are like a marriage and need a little attention, care, and work each day. Otherwise, they are like a spring fling- here today and gone tomorrow. That's not good.
What I'm getting at, dear friends, is that the garden in our back yard is THE garden. Our past, present, and future garden. The only garden we've ever had. The only garden we have now. For many of us, it's the only garden we will ever have.
It is not this years' garden. The one we brag about, talk about and describe as better or worse than last year's garden. We need to quit talking about spring and fall gardens, too. What we do out there in the back yard from January 1 to December 31 has its effect.
It is September. Walk away from your garden. You've picked the last bean, tomato, and ear of corn. Now you're tired, so turn the garden over to erosion, weeds, insects, and diseases. Don't do anything. Forget about it ‘til next year.
Hey, you don't start a new garden next year. You don't dig in new soil. You just pick up where you left off. And I guarantee you if you leave a mess out there in fall, it will be waiting for you come next spring. On the other hand, if you remain faithful and don't quit, your relationship with living, loving and gardening will be an everlasting joy.
Ok, I'm going to quit philosophizing and suggest a few things you can do now to keep your garden vibrant, alive, healthy, and beautifully growing through fall and winter and champing at the bits to get started next year.
First, turn under, till in or compost those spent plants as soon as possible. Do it while they are still green and succulent. They are higher in nitrogen and other nutrients now than they will ever be. If you let them dry up instead, they lose nutrients, sap fertilizer and moisture and serve as havens for insects and diseases.
Second, once the old plants are worked into the soil, plant something in their place. Now is a good time to plant "green manure" winter cover crops: annual ryegrass, rye, austrian winter peas, and crimson clover are good choices.
What you plant this fall will protect the soil during the winter and further improve soil structure and fertility when you till them under early next year. Finally, check your soil's health. Many gardeners wisely have physical exams, but it never occurs to them that their gardens might benefit from a checkup too. A soil test will determine pH (acid or alkaline soil), plus phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium levels. This test will also prescribe the proper dosage of fertilizer and lime (if needed) to keep your garden fit. Most states offer a soil testing service in cooperation with their Land Grant colleges or universities. Check with your college's local representative (Cooperative Extension Service Agent) for information on this health benefit for your soil.
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