As it turns out, in our part of the country, fall is one of the best times of the year to be in the garden. As the garden begins to recuperate from the summer’s heat, plants begin to thrive. And don’t skip over the fact that it i’s also a pleasant time for the gardener! It’s not fun wiping sweat from your brow when your hands are covered in potting soil. Fall and most of our winters are quite pleasant time to be out in the garden.Seedlings and seeds thrive with the still warm soil temperature, yet cooler days of fall. There is also typically less pressure from insects and lower weed competition. We who garden call it the “fantastic fall.” It is a great time to plant perennials, shrubs and trees, as they benefit from the still warm soil temperature for vigorous root growth, but don’t have the transplant stresses of the summer heat.
If you want a taste of the garden, cool season veggies are where it’s at. Leafy greens like, Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, and Mustard Greens can be grown all season long. By season, we mean, until late January. Many have short harvest cycles and can be sown repeatedly throughout the season. Lettuce is one of these and there are many kinds of lettuces to sprinkle their seeds about the garden. This makes for a fun garden that doesn’t require a lot of patience. You can also nibble a bit like a rabbit as you work. Now add in some root veggies and you’re cookin’! Carrots, who doesn’t like to harvest a baby carrot??,Radishes, Turnips and Beets (they taste a little bit like the Earth, or maybe more like dirt). Root crops are seed sown. Just dribble out some seeds and watch them grow. Finally, topping off a good culinary fall garden are the brassicas. Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, and Brussels Sprouts are in this family tribe. These are longer season crops and it is best to find healthy starter plants, although they can be started from seed.
Herbs like Rosemary and Lavender will thrive. They do much better in the fall than spring, when they quickly run head long into summer.
To add a touch of color, the go to, are fall annuals. They generally make it through our winters. The toughest gang on the block are the violas. These are pansies and violas (also called Johnny Jump Ups). They can handle the cold and generally make it until it becomes too warm for them in the spring. The flowers resemble happy little faces and Pansy flowers are edible, so garnish up that salad you’re growing. They come in an amazing array of colors. Use the garden as a canvas and let your little Rembrandts’ express themselves! Snapdragons, petunias, and dianthus are also good choices.
A fun fall to do is Garlic. Pickup a Garlic bulb at the grocery store. Get it in the organic aisle, as it won’t have been sprayed with a sprout inhibitor. Gently separate the individual cloves and plant them. They will grow and be ready to harvest in the following summer!
All of these plants can be grown in containers, raised beds or just in the ground. Stick to the short harvest interval crops for younger gardeners, as patience isn’t always their virtue. Almost all of the mentioned plants can be found in small containers that are easy to transplant with little fingers. You can amend the soil with bagged compost to improve the outcome. Dig this into your existing soil and then let your budding gardeners have at it. By loosening the soil first, planting small plants by small hands is achievable and rewarding. A hand trowel and hand cultivator are always favorites and useful. Of course, dressing the part makes a young novice into a pro. A pair of boots, maybe an apron and that red handled trowel makes for a bountiful harvest.
As each child is as unique as an individual snowflake, be mindful of the potential for them to have an adverse reaction to any aspect of the outdoor world. The garden is not a sterile environment. The best advice here is to use good common sense. We all have easy access to lookup plants we are considering. So do check to know what potential concerns they may present to our young gardeners. Keep in mind, a child can have an allergic reaction to the most common of foods. In the same vane, choose organic soil products and fertilizers. It is most likely to find its way into tiny mouths.
Here’s our nickel on the grass. Read any label available, use organic products, do the research (it’s so available) and be sensible.
The secret to success is to start with a good soil. Add compost to your soil or if in a container, purchase a quality organic potting soil. Keep the seeds you sow moist, but not soggy. Water in transplants well and then allow them to dry back to moist before re-watering. Water young seedlings and plants gentle, like a soft drizzling rain. The amount of space you need to garden can be as small as a large pot or the size of a farm. It is almost always best to temper your expectations and go for better than big. Container gardening can be quite fun. There are pots that can be painted and they come in almost every shape and size. Keep it simple silly, is good advice.
