Photo and article by Donna Iverson Usually this time of year, I’m cleaning out my garden bed, adding some mulch or compost and wondering how long it will be until the new seed catalogs arrive. But this fall, my garden is still going strong …arugula, parsley, onions, and kale are at their prime. The earliest prediction for first frost isn’t until the end of October. So my fall gardening plans are changing. Instead of pulling out my herbs, flowers and veggies, I plan to let them be. In past winters, I’ve picked arugula and kale well into January and even February. Plus I’m reading that it will benefit the soil leaving the plants to die in place. The roots, especially those of peas and beans, will feed nutrients and nitrogen into the ground. Fall is the time to consider planting a nitrogen-fixing cover crop like hairy vetch or Red clover. Adding a topping of compost or dried leaves to the garden would also be beneficial. Instead of waiting for the new seed catalogs, I am going to dig out my old seed catalogs and order now for fall planting. Following nature’s lead, horticulturists are telling us that it may be better to plant seeds this time of year rather than waiting till spring. Seeds that can be planted in the fall include the veggies that are still growing in late October: arugula, bush beans, broccoli, chard, garlic and onions. Flower seeds that benefit from fall planting are sunflowers, coneflowers, hollyhocks and forget-me-nots. With everything topsy turvy during the last two years, it feels right to rethink gardening strategies along with everything else. And that includes raking leaves. Many a garden ecologist argues that rotting leaves provide fertilizer for the lawn and garden as well as shelter for wildlife. This fall, I will be watching to see how many of my neighbors hang up their garden rakes.
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