If you’re like me and are pawning off yellow squash to friends, neighbors, in-laws, unsuspected walkers who stopped just long enough for you to share one more of your seemingly endless supply of delicious yellow cucurbits, then you probably have been harvesting from the garden for quite some time and may be finding some open space. I’m a firm believer that any time you allow bare ground to sit available the weeds will find it. Your best bet is to put that soil to work producing more food or growing cover crops to enhance soil structure and or add nutrients.
If you are burnt out and are throwing in the towel, I get it! There are only so many mosquito bites one can get, only so many hours in the day, and with school work to be done and dinner still to be made. I know the struggle is real! But please do your future 2021 spring self a favor and mulch your garden. My go-to mulches for the vegetable gardens are compost, grass clippings, leaves and straw.
If you’re able to push through the last warm days of this growing season try planting some cool season crops from seed, such as radish, spinach and/or leaf lettuce. If you’re feeling lucky and can find some seedlings, try some broccoli, cabbage or cauliflower. All of these choices can tolerate some frost.
But with that in mind there is always a chance for a fluke cold snap. Having some preplanned frost covering is always a good insurance policy. You can build a frame around your planting area by lashing together some bamboo canes. And when you get that unsuspected frost warning you will be ready. Just drape some frost cloth or a few sheets over your plants to keep them frost free.
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If you’re wanting to keep your soil working but don’t want the stress and work of planting one last crop, try sowing some cover crop seed. You can find seed sources with a simple online search. The amount of seed to sow depends on what you’re planting, but generally speaking, 2-3 ounces per 100 square foot and 2-3 pounds per 1000 square foot.
Choosing what kind of cover crop can seem a little daunting. There are loads of choices but when it comes down to it, generally there are four outcomes to think about when choosing.
- Provide nitrogen.
- Improve soil structure.
- Add organic matter.
- Reduce soil erosion.
I usually skip this whole thought process and use a seed mixture based on the season. For instance, fall cover crop mix. This is with hopes to gain benefits from all four of the outcomes.
One rule of thumb I keep, is never allowing a cover crop to form seeds. You want the cover crop cycle to end when the winter kills off the plants or in the spring when you chop, drop the plant material and turn the green waste into the soil. Any plants allowed to seed may become a weed in your next veggie crop. So if for some reason we have an out of the ordinary winter and the plant material starts to flower, I take the hedge or string trimmer to the lot.
Whether the choice of mulching, growing another edible crop then mulching or growing a cover crop, you really should choose one. Always taking from the garden soil and never giving back is not sustainable. Taking care of your soil is taking care of your future crops.
James Edwards, an INLA-accredited horticulturist, is the horticulture manager at Minnetrista, overseeing 21 acres of ornamental and natural areas. He can be reached at 765-287-3563 or at jedwards@minnetrista.net.
Source: thestarpress.com
