-Patrick Metz- As summer starts to wind down and fall approaches, it is time to start thinking about the post-harvest environment of your garden. Best practice shows us that, dollar for dollar, planting a cover crop is the best thing you can do for your garden. Here are some of the benefits: prevents erosion, improves soil health, adds organic matter, attracts pollinators, promotes and feeds your soil biology, increases tilth, and suppresses weeds. What does this mean for you? Your garden … [Read more...] about What are Cover Crops? And Why Use Them?
fall crops
How to Preserve a Plethora of Shallots
-Pam Scott- We are in full fall mode here at Fifth Season Gardening. We just received the mother lode of garlic, onions and shallots for fall planting. While unpacking these little gems I am reminded of the few pounds of shallots left in my fridge from the summer harvest. Since nothing in my house or garden gets done with any sense of moderation, each year I plant pounds of shallots and end up harvesting pounds and pounds and pounds of shallots. Shallots are one of the more heavenly … [Read more...] about How to Preserve a Plethora of Shallots
Growing Bountiful Brassicas
-Pam Scott- The shorter, cooler days of September are upon us. You may have thought all of your gardening fun was over for the year, but.... not so fast! You could have two more months of outdoor dirt digging delight ahead of you. Our average fall frost date here in zone 7 is October 31. With the use of frost covers, hoop houses or cold frames we can extend our growing season for cool weather loving crops well into the colder months. For some crops such as spinach, kale, cilantro and parsley … [Read more...] about Growing Bountiful Brassicas
Tips for a fall garden
As you’re reading this, it’s probably about the middle to last week in July. This is the time when you should be starting round two of gardening, the fall garden. Fall gardening is generally not as popular as Spring gardening, but fall is, in my opinion, a better time to grow. The advantages of a fall crop include: The cool weather of fall makes for some mighty good tasting vegetables. You don’t have the bugs or the plant disease problems that you have in the spring. It’s easier, … [Read more...] about Tips for a fall garden
