- Loosen the soil and carry out a pH test
During the course of the summer, the soil in your garden will have compacted. In preparation for the fall planting season, you need to loosen the soil enough to allow the plant’s roots and water to move freely. A garden fork is enough to loosen up the soil since you don’t need a lot of tilling. The soil should also be tested to check the level of acidity or basicity. The ideal soil pH for planting should be between 6 and 7. If the pH is below six, then lime should be added to increase the pH. If the pH is higher, elemental sulfur should, instead, be added to reduce the pH.
- Harvest and clear out the garden
Just before the fall season starts, the gardener is advised to harvest whatever they had planted earlier. The harvest will be of much help during the winter season if it is stored properly. Since you will be preparing for planting, cleaning out the garden is of utmost importance. Aside from those plants that are not yet ripe, like tomatoes in the garden, everything else should be cleared out. This includes things like weeds, plants that have already matured and any other foreign objects that could have ended up on the garden. It is also advisable to carry out crop rotation, so as to keep the yields high and to utilize all the nutrients in the soil fully.
- Add compost
The fall season is a great time to add organic matter to the garden. An application of a top layer of manure or compost will enable the soil to be fertile enough by the start of the next planting season. The compost to be added should be sufficiently decomposed, for not less than 6 months, since fresh manure can be hazardous to both the plants as well as the consumer of the produce.
- Prepare for the winter season
If you have an irrigation system in your garden, or even any appliances you may use in the garden, it is advisable to disconnect everything and store them indoors to prevent damage by snow and frost. It is also advisable to set up a frost protection for the garden whether it is a cold frame or a hoop cover. A potting shed is the best place to store any tools and equipment safe during the winter to prevent them from damage. It is advisable to visit the best shop with potting sheds to acquire one of these very vital structures.
- Plant garlic
Garlic does well in cool weather, therefore should be planted in the fall. It should, however, be planted just after the temperature has dropped noticeably, but before the snow starts falling and the ground freezes over. Garlic is best planted in the fall as this allows it to vernalize, which causes higher yields. The garlic should be planted in soil with adequate compost and some organic fertilizer added can be much help. The bulbs should be planted with a spacing of 6 inches wide by 4 inches deep, and mulch should be added after the garlic has been planted.
