Attention to detail

I hope y'all have done a better job taking care of your garden than I have. In spite of the lack of rain or, the lack of attention to detail on my part, the garden still looks nice. With the nice, cool weather it is easy to forget that it has not rained for several days. Plants still need adequate moisture, even a short dry spell can stress young plants to the point of no recovery. Older plants that have survived the hot summer and are now rebounding with vigor may suffer. It would be a shame to lose these plants that you have cared for through the summer in hope of harvesting fresh food for lack of moisture in the home stretch.

There is still time to plant a few things in the garden. Cool season crops like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and all kinds of greens are good choices. You may still find transplants at some nurseries but, select your plants carefully. Some plants may have been in 4 inch pots or, 6 packs for a long time and have become root bound. Check the roots before you buy, it's ok to pull plants out of their containers slightly to examine the roots. Remember, it's your money and, you don't want to waste it on plants that will never produce anything edible. It is also a good time to plant herbs, lettuce and wild flower seed. Wild flowers will germinate in the fall, grow slow through the winter and reward you with beautiful flowers in the spring. You can purchase bulbs when available but, wait to plant them for a few more weeks when we have more consistent cool weather. I have stored bulbs in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator for up to a month with good results.

Now is a great time to start a compost pile. There is an endless supply of materials and many times people will rake and bag leaves for you then place those bags out by the street for you to pick up. Now is a good time to add finished compost to your beds as well. Remember to cover any soil that has nothing growing in it. Bare soil leads to erosion, moisture loss and is an invitation for weeds to germinate. You could use mulch, leaves or plant a cover crop. Any of these materials can later be tilled in before planting. Don't plant immediately, allow 2 to 3 weeks for this cover to break down before planting in this soil.

So get out and enjoy the great outdoors. This is my favorite time to be outside and garden. Although the days are getting shorter, the cooler weather makes it very nice. There is less pressure on plants from pests and given the proper care plants will perform their best. There is nothing better than sitting in your garden after a few hours of weed pulling, enjoying the sunset with a cool beverage and listening to the daytime world go to sleep. I love it.

Pay attention to the small details and your garden will be the envy of all your neighbors. Small details like water, weeds, pests, a loved ones birthday, someones name will all make life easier and, more rewarding.