Planting for Fall Production

The first step to a successful fall garden is taking a look at your sun. The second step is preparing your soil. The third step is figuring out what to plant in your fall garden. We do have a desert southwest planting guide in our free membership or you can do a google search in your area to find one. You might not be planting your seeds immediately, but you will want to order them right now. There is a growing demand for growing food at home and the seeds sell out fast.

You will want to plant your Agriscaping garden in layers. If you have limited space you will want to have the lowest range (under 12″) nearest you, the mid-range plants (1-3′) in the middle, and the tall stuff (4-8′) and vines in the back. This assures for easy care and proper growth.

Make note of what you have planted there already and rotate the plants out. You don’t want to plant the same thing in the same location season after season. The soil will be start to be depleted. You will want to rotate your crops by using our little rhyme “root, fruit, bean, green”. This will help the soil stay healthy and allow your crops to have a peek performance. The soil will improve one season to the next when you rotate this way.

You can use the current sun, heat, and humidity to improve your fall production. If you are in the Phoenix metropolitan area right now is a good time to solarize. We like to use a white or even a clear plastic to cover the ground. This will help any seeds to sprout that might be in the soil. You will want to first water the ground, add the tarp on top and use soil or rocks around the edges to keep it down. This allows the top layer of the soil to germinate now. Follow it up with tilling or raking the soil. However, this will reduce the bioactivity in the top 3 inches or so, but tilling it may bring life back to the top. This is a great way to prep your areas that you want to grow in.

Another thing to think about is having a pest prevention plan. You will want to have a manure or compost schedule. You can use “deodorized” manure which is fully composted, mixed mulches, eco scraps, soil conditioner. You will also want to have monthly feedings until the lows are under 60 degrees. Alternate between fish emulsion and compost tea each month. You can also use organic fertilizers if you choose.

To learn more and get some amazing free guides check out Agriscaping Green Thumb Thursday at https://agriscaping.kartra.com/page/greenthumbthursday