Fall & Winter Garden Site Maintenance

Well, fall is here, and our vegetable gardens are done for the year.  Now is the time to prepare next spring's garden site.  Start by removing this year's debris.  Put all disease free refuse in the compost bin.  This will prepare a healthy supply of fertilizer for the next growing season.  Take away all grow supports, clean them with a mild bleach solution to remove any disease and store them in a safe place.  Do the same thing with your garden tools.  Be sure to dry and oil them well, before you put them away so that they will be in good working order next season.  The next thing you will want to do is take a soil sample.  Monitor the pH and fertility levels.  Simple soil tester kits are a standard item in any garden center.  It is easy to do, and can really make a difference in next years harvest.  A cover crop, such as ryegrass, helps reduce disease build up and soil erosion, as well as fertilize the soil.  Before it goes to seed dig it up and turn it over, into the soil.  If you are rotating garden sites, which you should periodically, remember:  A new garden site should always be soil tested to avoid growing-season grief.