By William Terry Kelley
University of
Georgia
You’ve harvested the last of the summer veggies, and you’re ready
to hang up your hoe and spade for the winter. But don’t abandon
the garden spot before the job is finished. Gardens need to be
put to bed for the winter.
Some fall maintenance will help you avoid several problems next
spring.
The end of the season is the best time to make good notes about
the past season before you forget. Take note of the varieties
that performed particularly well or not so well. Make a map of
garden areas that had problem weeds. Identify the weeds if you
can. Note any areas that stayed wet or didn’t produce well.
This is an ideal time to take a sample for nematodes, too. The
highest populations are while the weather is still hot and plants
are still growing.
Take note
Mark your calendar to take a soil test within the next couple of
months so you’ll have time to apply any needed lime well before
spring planting.
Remove any trellises you’ve put up. Store them in a dry place.
This will help to preserve the life of the trellis materials.
Remove any string or plant debris and knock off any excess soil.
If you have an irrigation system in the garden, get it ready for
winter, too. Remove hoses, sprinklers, drip tape, etc. Store
these out of the elements for the winter, too, after removing any
excess soil or plant debris.
Be sure to repair, sharpen and lightly oil garden implements
before storage as well.
Clear and clean
Once all the obstacles are out of the garden, run a rotary mower
across the garden to chop up any plant debris that remains. This
allows this debris to dry down faster and keeps weeds from going
to seed before frost. Applying a burn-down herbicide after mowing
is even better.
During the fall, add organic matter such as composted grass
clippings, manure and leaves to the garden. Bury the organic
matter and debris by turning the land. Then plant a cover crop
for the winter.
This will help to prevent any soil erosion and can build up the
soil when you turn the cover crop under in the spring. A grain
such as rye or wheat works well for this.
Finally, don’t forget to order your seed catalogs by the end of
the year and begin planning next year’s garden. Getting your seed
ordered early in the year will better your chances of getting the
varieties you want.
Do these things and your garden will have a cozy winter nap. And
don’t fret. Spring will be here before you know it. And your
garden will awake refreshed and ready for those summer veggies
once again.
(Terry Kelley is an Extension Service horticulturist with the
University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences)
