Fall Garden 2022
If there is anything I have learned in my first year of gardening, it is take better notes and don’t underestimate the benefits of adding a lot of flowers. So, I’ve got my plan on paper, in notes on my computer, and let’s just add it here for good measure and in case it benefits any of it.
I’ll start by saying I am not an expert so if you copy anything I am doing, don’t blame me lol we are all in process and I guess another lesson I have had to learn, is don’t compare your year one garden to someone else’s five year garden or ten year garden. Even a second year garden will have had so much benefit from the plants and fertilizer that it’s just not the same. In the same way our plants grow, we’ve got to be committed to growth as well.
Now that that’s out of the way…here we go. A few years ago I knew I wanted to start gardening so subscribed to Nicole Burke’s Kitchen Garden class. It was helpful and not helpful all at the same time. It was so much information without a framework to apply it ie what to plant next to what, planning etc. It was overwhelming. Now I can go back and look at my notes and apply it but starting out it was so confusing. Again, we’ve got to be committed to growth. So then I subscribed to InstarGardens monthly coaching and that was helpful primarily for establishing my chicken coop (another post for another day) and pest control. At the end of both here is what I’ll say…there is no replacement for trying and failing and taking notes and starting again.
F A L L G A R D E N P L A N
What I’m planting this season (October through January)
October:
garlic
multiplying onions
dill, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, oregano, mint
lettuce
kale and arugula
radishes
bush beans
rainbow swiss chard
beets
carrots
November:
spinach, celery, chives, peas, leaks (succession sow peas, chives, spinach in January)
I under planned flowers in my fall garden last year there was very few pollinators so in spring I felt like I over planted flowers but everything did so much better. So, flowers for the fall I’m planting in October…from seed I’ll do zinnias, nasturtium and some marigold seeds. From transplant, chamomile, catnip, marigolds, and calendula when it cools off more.
The sun shifts dramatically in my garden in November because it’s on the North side of my house (I know now that’s literally the worst location you could choose…best is South facing, then West then East. whoops) so two of my beds have about 2-3 feet that during winter are almost full shade. I love that for me lol jk. All that to say, the plan saved in my IG Garden highlight is factoring all of that…my sun limitations which I’ve written next to those places, as well as companion plants, what we like to eat equals how much space it gets etc. The herbs I am keeping in pots this year, it took up too much space in my beds last year and oregano and mint can tend to spread out way too much. Mint actually sends root shoots under the soil so it will overtake a bed very quickly.
L I N K S
Here are all the links I used in case you like different things and want to use your space differently.
And here is a site I found super helpful for planning flowers this season.
Baker Creek Seeds is where I am ordering my seeds from. I will get bulk seeds for things I am succession planting at Wabash in Houston and transplants from there as well. I got a seed starter kit from Buchanans that I will start my celery, leeks and maybe spinach in.
P E S T C O N T R O L & F E R T I L I Z E R
The best pest control I’ve used so far is organic Monterey BT and Sluggo. Those address the problems I have most but those companies make other treatments for other pests so just look them up and they deliver quick from Amazon or you can get them at Cornelius or Houston Garden Center. Army worms have been my biggest foe so starting so much from seed this year makes a little nervous because they love little seedlings. I’ll spray BT on little seedlings when they are about an inch tall and for the lettuce I may cover them until with garden fabric until they are bigger to protect them from moths. Favorite fertilizer is honestly bone meal…I started putting that around seeds and transplants in the spring and feel like it really helped. TeaCo fertilizer is a great one to use as well on a two rotation with a seaweed or fish fertilizer. I fertilized every two weeks fro eight weeks in spring based on @theaustinediblegarden advice (great IG follow btw) and it really helped.
G A R D E N B E D S
For those that are just starting a garden and either just want to try it so don’t want to spend a ton of money or just don’t want to spend a ton of money, here a few low cost options.
If I had to redo my beds, this would be a strong contender! I love these cement garden beds so much.
I did the no dig bed method for my regular flower beds to get rid of the weed problem and start cut gardens and one, this man is so precious but two, it worked! My back alley neighbor is a landscaper and he helped haul in my compost and mulch when I did these…we started talking and he said “wow that’s actually really smart!” Well, thank you sir! It’s been so nice to not be weeding ALL the time and have beds full of zinnias.
Lowes and Home depot both have cornerstones with four slats you can place at each corner of whatever areas you’ve designated ie 8x4, 3x5 etc and then slide wood into them.
My garden beds are from Vego Garden and I love them. They are easy to assemble, sturdy, and look brand new a year later. They do sales often which is when I bought mine.
W A T E R
The biggest pitfall when I started my garden was not establishing consistent watering. This is the water system I got https://www.dripworks.com/ and I’ll say it’s done the job well, but I do plan to replace it next spring. I will probably get a grid system from Garden Grid Watering System or hook up my sprinkler system to water it since it’s already on its own zone.
S O I L
I did Hogelkultur for my beds which saves a ton on cost and creates a great microbiome as everything breaks down.
Hope that’s helpful! Shoot me a DM on instagram if you have questions or just need a friend as you get started.
xo -lb