Pumpkin spice lattes, fall fairs and homegrown lettuce? Fall is chock full of our favorite things! And, your garden can keep producing tasty goods for a little while longer, too!
Gardening in the fallalways feels like such a treat. Even though the leaves may be changing, your veggie garden is still going strong! While the seasons are transitioning, you’re making the most of every moment — going to football games, bundling up in cozy sweaters, and munching on homegrown produce.
All you’ve got to do is make the most of your fall crops with these four tips:
1. Pick of the Pack. The more you pick, the more you get! Once your crops start ripening, grab your collapsible bucket and go out and pick every day.
Collapsible Bucket
You can use your hands, but we suggest these garden snips. They make it easier to get a clean cut and help prevent you pulling the plant out by the roots!
Precision Stainless Steel Snips
Here’s when to harvest your organic veggies:- Lettuce and spinach: Cut outer leaves when young and tender.
- Kale: Pick when the leaves are as big as your hand.
- Carrots: Pick when the top of the carrot is 1” wide.
- Broccoli: Cut broccoli when its head is 4-7” wide.
- Cauliflower: Cut when its head is between 2-3” wide.
2. Feed to Succeed. Feed your veggies once a month for a bigger, bountiful harvest. This is especially important if you had other crops planted in the same spot earlier. Those crops depleted the garden soil of its nutrients. Plant fertilizer replenishes the nutrients to keep your produce growing strong.
3. A Fresh Feast. Plan your weekly dinners around what’s in harvest in the garden. This is the last hurrah for homegrown meals from the garden, so make the most of it. Of course, save some for winter, too.
4. Discover the Cover. If the chance of frost arrives earlier than expected, protect your crops. Water and then cover with a sheet, blanket or tarp. Use stakes to keep the cover from touching the plants.
Crunch! How amazing is it that you’re still harvesting veggies from your organic garden in autumn?!
