Spring will bring dreams of garden veggies, of sun-warmed soil, compost, turned over earth ready for seeds and bulbs and small plants, and days lovingly tending a growing garden.
Fall... is the time to plan and prepare.
Some preparation is universal, no matter what you plan to grow, and some is specific depending on what you are planting.
If your garden soil is like mine, a dense clay that packs down hard, then fall is the perfect time to mix in those dropped leaves and lawn clippings. You can also take a soil sample to your local Extension office to have it analyzed for Nitrogen and pH. (Soil test kits are also available at most home improvement stores). Fixing soil isn't very difficult, and can be as simple as mixing in your old coffee grounds.
Fall is also the best time to plan for your garden.
Map out your space. Look up growing requirements for your plants, and spend some time looking at sunlight requirements, growing times, and plant yields. Look at the soil types, and consider adding sand and compost for root veggies, and compost and good topsoil for most others. Consider the varying heights of your plants.
Some plants, like tomatoes and chile peppers, need long, hot growing seasons with regular watering, so consider setting up an indoor area to start your plants, if you live in an area where you have to wait until April to be assured of the last frost being past.
Seeds are far less expensive than bedding plants, so starting your garden that way can make it much more economical.
If you bag yard waste and have it collected, consider a wire bin for some of it instead. Home made compost is much less expensive than buying it.
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