News Stories - Page 113

If you don’t plan to grow a fall garden, fall can be the perfect time to inspect, repair and clean your gardening tools.

For those who enjoy gardening year round, winter vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and an assortment of greens may already be in place of their summer garden. I like fall gardening because the temperatures are usually mild and disease and insects are normally less troubling. But for those who are ready for a little break from the vegetable garden, there are a few things you should do before you put your summer garden to bed.

Growing annual flowers in native soils can be a challenge in Georgia. Clay soils, though fertile, are often poorly drained, leading to root diseases. Sandy soils are generally less fertile and drain too quickly, making it hard to keep flowers watered and fed. Planting directly into a good bag of potting soil could be a better option.

Plucking fresh fruit from your own orchard can be a delicious way to add beauty and taste to your home landscape. The best time to plant fruit trees in Georgia is in the fall, according to a University of Georgia expert.

As summer vegetables like corn and beans stop bearing, now is the time for home gardeners to start preparing fall gardens of cool-season vegetables.

If you don’t like raking, bagging and dragging leaves to the curb, recycle your leaves into mulch. Leaves are nature’s way of creating a natural blanket for protecting tree and plant roots from extreme cold temperatures.