There is no better time to recharge tired garden soil than in the fall – and not only is it easy to do, it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune either!
By the end of the growing season, the soil in a garden is anything but rich and fertile. Vegetable plants and flowers take a large amount of nutrients from the soil to grow and produce blooms, fruits and vegetables.
Because of this, by the end of summer, most if not nearly all of the nutrient levels in the soil can be almost non-existent. Even worse, the structure of the soil is often loose, dry and weak as well. And unfortunately, if you don’t help bring it back to life, it can spell big trouble for next year’s growing season.
When Gardens Begin To Struggle – 3 Easy Ways To Recharge Your Garden Soil This Fall
More often than not, when gardens begin to struggle after a few years of good production, the problem can almost always be traced back to the soil. And even though fertilizers can provide plants with some energy, if the soil is poor and lacking – it just won’t power plants the same way.
Fertilizing a garden with straight commercial fertilizers might add nutrients, but it will not make your soil better. In fact, it can actually do the exact opposite. It can create soil with poor structure that requires even more fertilizer the following year to produce the same results.
One thing is for sure, the best way to feed a garden is to give it natural, organic and long-lasting sources of nutrients, and not by loading it up with synthetic fertilizers.
The good news? There are actually 3 are simple, low cost ways to power your soil naturally. And they just happen to also help protect it through the winter too. All while adding balanced nutrients that recharge your soil and improve its overall structure.
3 Easy Ways To Recharge Your Garden Soil This Fall
1) Plant A Cover Crop
Without a doubt, planting a simple cover crop is the best way to recharge your garden soil every fall.
Fall cover crops play a vital role in developing and enriching the soil in your garden. They minimize soil erosion over the winter. But even more importantly, they keep weeds and weed seeds out of your garden. And that makes next year’s gardening efforts easier than ever. To top it all off, they then feed your soil with organic matter as they break down in the soil in the spring.
The best part of all is that cover crops are easy to plant. And, they don’t have to be tilled in. We plant a mix of oats, cereal rye and field peas in our garden every fall. We then mow it off in the early spring a few times until it dies off. After that, we simply plant right through it. And yes, it really is that easy!
But before you plant that cover crop, there are also two other easy ways to add power and energy to your garden soil before you sow your seeds – and the first is using all of those falling leaves that come down when autumn arrives.
#2 Using Leaves In The Fall – 3 Easy Ways To Recharge Your Garden Soil In The Fall
Although leaves are wonderful for protecting perennials, bushes and making compost, they are also perfect for using to both recharge your garden’s soil and protect it over winter. Especially if you don’t plant a cover crop.
Leaves are truly the one of the most inexpensive way to provide your garden with organic matter every fall. But the secret to success is using the right variety of leaves – and putting them into your soil the right way!
When it comes to powering a garden, some leaves are better than others. Maple, Birch, Ash and fruit tree leaves are fantastic to compost. But others, like oak, should be used in moderation. Why? Because oak leaves are more acidic and if too many are used they can actually change the pH.
How To Use Leaves In The Garden – 3 Easy Ways To Recharge Your Garden Soil In The Fall
To help build soil structure and fertility, add a few inches of shredded leaves to the top layer of your garden soil. You can use a push or riding mower to make quick work of the shredding. The leaves will cover the soil but decompose over winter and incorporate into the soil.
If you want to use leaves and a cover crop for double the power, simply plant a cover crop underneath first and allow it to grow up through the shredded leaves. Not only will the cover crop help keep the shredded leaves in place as it sprouts and grows, the leaves will help hold moisture in to allow it to germinate better. It is a win-win for both!
If you don’t plant a cover crop, place a few inches of whole leaves on top of the shredded leaves. This will do wonders to keep the shredded leaves in place. You can then remove the whole leaves in the spring and shred for adding to your compost pile.
The beauty is that underneath, the shredded leaves will have completely disintegrated and incorporated into the soil by early spring – and your garden will still be protected all winter long!
#3 Adding Compost – 3 Easy Ways To Recharge Your Garden Soil In The Fall
When it comes to building strong, healthy soil – you just can’t beat compost! Compost is for soil what a healthy well-balanced diet is to a human body.
It replenishes and feeds soil by adding all types of life giving organic material, microbes and nutrients. And all in a form that is easy for plants to absorb and take in. Even better, compost also helps improve a soil’s ability to absorb and retain moisture to a plant’s root system. And that can pay huge dividends for vegetable plants in the heat of summer.
So what is the best way to use compost in the fall on your garden? Well, that all depends on how much compost you have on hand.
How To Use Compost In The Garden – 3 Easy Ways To Recharge Your Garden Soil In The Fall
In our raised row garden area, we like to work an inch or two of compost into the top layer of each growing row. We do this before we plant our fall cover crop. Not only does it add incredible fertility to the garden, it also helps the cover crop germinate better too.
If you don’t plant a cover crop, use leaves or a cover to protect your garden’s compost from eroding through winter. One of the advantages of a raised row garden is that you are only using precious resources like compost where it’s needed, and not over the entire garden.
We also apply a layer of compost in our raised beds and container gardens as well. And by the way, if you don’t make your own compost, fall is the perfect time to start! See our article: How To Create A Great Compost Pile From Fall Decorations!
There are all kinds of great materials to use, and you can have compost ready to put on your rows by late spring and planting time. And making your own attractive compost bin can be easier than you think,
Now that you know how to recharge your garden soil, it is time for a few more fall garden chores to get your garden ready for winter, and a great growing season next year: 5 Must Do Fall Garden Chores To Do Before Winter Arrives!
Here is to recharging your garden this fall – and to having a better garden than ever next year! Happy Gardening, Jim & Mary.
Old World Garden
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.
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