The Garden Gate: Fall Garden Plans

Fall Garden Plans at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

How are you today? I see you found the note I left to meet me at The Garden Gate. I brought us some ice cold lemonade to keep us cool. It is so hot these days it is hard to think about getting ready for the fall, but that is just what we are doing. It is time to start the preparation of our soil, and planting for our fall crops.

The first thing we do is prepare our soil. If you don't know what kind of soil you have the very best way to find out is take a sample to your County Extension Office. Just give them a call they can tell you exactly how to prepare your soil sample and when they can test it for you. They will be able to tell you the right mix of compost to use for your soil. The right balance of nutrient's in your soil is very important.

Fall Garden Plans at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Here at the Country Cottage we use our own compost. We compost all year round. We compost every thing except, meat, poultry, and dairy products, everything else including paper goes into the compost. We recently emptied the bin in a new flower bed, so it is a good time to share with you how we start our compost.

  • We purchased our compost bin at the local hardware store. 
  • We had a pile of grass clippings that we let dry out, which did not take long in this hot sun. 
  • Then we put a thick layer of the dry grass, then a layer of the green grass clippings and other green clippings from the yard. 
  • Then we put all of our vegetables scrapes on top of that. We recently pulled out our black eyed peas and green beans as they have stopped producing for the season. 
  • They are all lined up and Leonard (AKA Tractor Man) runs the lawn mower over the old vines to mulch them and then in the compost bin they go.
Fall Garden Plans at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
  • We stir the compost at least once a week with a long garden rake. There is no odor.
  • If our bin fills up before we use it, we just bag it up and it is ready to go when we need it.
Fall Garden Plans at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Composting is a great way to give back to the earth what God has so graciously given us. Just keep stirring and keep adding to the bin.
  • The compost is great on the garden and very organic and the cost is only your labor...you can't beat that!


We will be planting some vegetables and some herbs for the fall. We will be planting Dill, Garlic, Parsley, Rainbow Chard, Kale, Carrots, Beets, Leeks and Turnip Greens. I will be ordering and picking up my seed this week for that list. My fall heirloom tomatoes are already planted and are doing well.

So get busy, get your soil ready, and your compost going. Get those seeds ready and I will let you know when I am planting. Be sure and let me know how you are doing with your fall garden plans. This will be fun sharing about our garden. I am so happy that you came by to see me today. Come back soon!

Peace and Joy
Miz Helen


Miz Helen
Miz Helen

Cookbook Author, Recipe Developer, Organic Gardner.


Comments

  1. Sid and I have a compost pile too, I can't throw out any veggie or fruit.......compost all the way!!

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  2. Hey Helen ....
    Ive written the same comment on each day you have blogged ....I think I finally got the right one....let me know if you get this.....
    Looks great!!!!!! Your tractor man sure is a cute.....can he come and do my composite.....hahaha......
    vickibeth

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  3. Well I can say this that whatever you are doing the canned goods you gave me in my pantry are delicious....and yes I would say that the generations of gardeners in your family have done well thanks and little Daddy is so cute

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  4. I'm going now to get my compost bin.COMPOST COMPOST COMPOST you can never put to much compost.
    CHARLIE

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  5. We should compost...it might help things grow. How long does it take from beginning to end for the compost to be usable?

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  6. Amy
    If the weather is hot like it is right now, and you keep your bin fed and stirred it will make in about 3 weeks.

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  7. Dad looks so cute in his hat and gloves. He's such a good worker bee. ;) Love you guys!
    Bre

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  8. Hey, I am starting a compost pile in a 18 gallon storage tub. Going to put worms in it and then Austin my son can use them to go fishing. Also thought about a 5 gl bucket then you can roll it ever so offten instead of stir.
    I wish I would have come and checked this out sooner it is all done so wonderful and so are you. Thanks Nancy Moore from Tyler

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Your visit has been very special. I look forward to your comments, they are like opening little gifts. Thank you for stopping by and hurry back!
Miz Helen