Photo courtesy of thesurvivalgardener.com

Fall is the season when I assess everything that I want to do differently in my gardens for next year. Part of that assessment is recognizing that I need to get the spring garden area ready now for planting next spring. If you wait until planting time, which can start as early as February, the soil will be too wet to furrow or mound. So, I have always missed the early spring greens. A fellow Master Gardener starts his spinach and kale inside now and keeps them outside in containers during the winter . . . but that is another story.

For now, clean out the vegetables in the garden when the plant is done producing. Any plant that is moldy, mildewy or diseased should be trashed. Any other plant can go into the compost pile. If you have compost that is ready and can be turned into the growing area, spread it now. It is also a good time now to add any fresh manure from farm animals. The manure will have a minimum of 120 days to break down before its residue touches a food plant in the spring. It is ideal to have the soil freeze in winter as many pests and diseases are killed with a hard freeze.

Get a soil test done; this will reflect what nutrients and minerals are needed by the soil to provide the best basis for growing crops. If lime is needed to adjust the soil pH, the fall is a great time to apply lime. With any additive, more is not better. Review your test results and if you purchase an additive, review the directions. Apply as directed to avoid an imbalance in the soil which can runoff and pollute the waterways.

The land should not be left bare. Cover the garden area with a weathered mulch throughout the winter. I will often buy baled straw as a mulch. Ask what type of straw it is, as it could be wheat straw, pasture straw or bermuda grass straw. Keep the bermuda grass straw out of the garden. Pine straw is great for acid-loving plants like blueberries. Another option is to plant a cover crop. If you have a lot of leaves from the autumn trees, let the mower chop them and then spread leaf pieces over the gardens as another form of mulch. You could also pile your leaves over the cleaned vegetable bed. The leaves eventually break down into a rich leaf mold that supports soil health. No need to bag leaves and trash them. Any of these methods are adding humus and nutrients back to the soil. With any of the covers, when it is time to plant, pull it back somewhat to allow a row of seed or a seedling.

Lasagna Gardening

If you plan on starting or expanding a garden next spring, now is the perfect time to build healthy soil for your new garden. Consider putting a lasagna garden together now, which would make the area available for planting next spring. What is a lasagna garden? It is a super-easy, lazy way to get good soil. It is organic, and the name does not reflect what will be grown there but the method used: layering. Some will use it as a basis for a raised bed. Others will add to an existing open bed. You could build a lasagna garden in a low area of your yard, too.

All materials used are organic and compostable. You do not have to turn any soil or remove any grass; just layer on top. If it is a weed area that you are replacing, I would pull the weeds before they go to seed. I have read of others that just mash them down and pile on top, in layers. Thus the lasagna concept. Thankfully, there is no hard and fast rule.

The mission is to build rich, pliable soil with a humus base. Collect and flatten cardboard, newspapers (just stay away from glossy paper), composted leftovers (no meat or bones), sawdust, aged manure, grass clippings from grass that is not chemically dosed with weed killers and fertilizers, old hay and leaves, preferably chopped by the lawnmower. Water between layers until the layer is soaked.

Peat moss is a great soil amendment to have as part of the mix. An experienced lasagna garden maker told me to think of peat moss as cheese in lasagna . . . layer generously between other layers. Then consider wood ash as the Parmesan that goes on top. The expectation is that the end result will compact and decompose to be between one-quarter and one-third as high as the original lasagna. If it does not compact as much as expected and remnants of your layers are still discernible at planting time, just plant in it. The layers continue to decompose as the crop matures. Winter has done your hard work. It has saved you money and time and produced a healthy start to your spring garden.

Gardening Classes

The weather may be getting cold, but this is the time of year to plan for next year’s garden classes at the Extension offices on John R. Rice Blvd in Murfreesboro. There are two classes from which you can choose.

Garden Basics is offered on Thursday nights beginning Jan. 31, and runs for five weeks. It is perfect for those who are beginners and newer gardeners, or those new to gardening in Middle Tennessee. The course is also popular with experienced gardeners looking to pick up some tips and expand their knowledge. The course will consist of two topics per evening presented by Certified Master Gardeners from the Rutherford County Master Gardeners. Applications for the Basics class are available at the Extension office or downloadable from mastergardeners-rc.org, under the Community Education tab. It is open to the first 45 people who sign up.

For those interested in a volunteer service organization that educates communities in horticulture, the certified Master Gardener program is for you. Students learn about a variety of gardening topics including soils, impacts of storm water, small fruits, landscape design, identifying trees and garden insects. As a by-product of this knowledge, students learn how to have healthier, more productive gardens. Acquired knowledge gets shared through demonstrations, classes and community events. A minimum of 40 community service hours must be completed and reported during the first year. Applications are due by Dec. 1.

Classes begin for the Master Gardener program with orientation on Feb. 2 but classes will typically be held this year from 1–4 pm on Tuesday afternoons. To complete training, you must attend 11 of the 15 scheduled classes. Applications are available at the office or at extension.tennessee.edu/rutherford.

As spring arrives, look for announcements of the Linebaugh Library Gardening series. Classes are offered in the evening and on Saturdays.

4H Breakfast with Santa and Marketplace

Come eat, visit Santa, take your own pictures with Santa and shop for presents at the upcoming 4H Pancake Breakfast and Marketplace. This family event starts at 8 a.m. on Dec. 8 at the Community Center in Lane Agri-Park complex on John R. Rice Boulevard.