Things to do, in the Garden, in the fall?

      Well it is getting to be that time of the year where the leaves are changing, the days are getting shorter and for some harvest time! Some of us are starting to plant Fall Crops  and others are closing the garden down for the fall. Which ever your plans for your garden you have, start with a plan. Last week I gave you "10 vegetables to grow in fall" , this week I am compiling a list of other things to do in the fall for you to get started with.
  1)Finish the harvest:You can pick green tomatoes before a frost and they will continue to ripen inside. Pick those that are full size and starting to turn yellow. Wrap each tomato in a piece of newspaper or paper towel. Take a few out at a time and place on a sunny window sill to ripen. Harvest tender crops like peppers, eggplant, and cucumbers before the first frost. Harvest all other above ground crops before a hard freeze. Dig potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, carrots, onions, and other root vegetables before the ground freezes. Pumpkins won’t continue to ripen after picking but you must pick them before a hard freeze and protect them from freezing. 

Photo By" The Redeemed Gardener

  2)Clean up the vegetable garden: This is the dirt, not so fun part but it needs to be done. Must everything can go in those "Dirt Cheap Compost Bin's", and the rest you can burn on the garden if you would want to!  Cover exposed soil with a layer of compost, straw, leaves or other material, especially in areas that don’t get much snow or plant a "cover crop". Also put away your cages and stakes for next year as well.
  3)Soil test and amend your soil: Fall is a great time to have your soil tested and make adjustments to soil pH or amend nutrient imbalances. Get the soil tested as early as possible, you’ll generally get results back from the lab faster than in the spring but leave time before the soil freezes to add amendments. 
  4)Make garden plans for next year: Perennial plants are mature, so make decisions on whether the garden is too crowded or whether it needs more plants or some changes made. It’s a good time to make some notes about annuals and vegetables that grew well or didn’t do well so you won’t repeat mistakes in the spring. Find those plant tags you stuck in beside plants and write down variety names you want to remember. You’ll be surprised what you forget over the winter or at least I forget a lot, lol! Take some pictures of the mature garden to remind you what it looks like as you drool over plant catalogs in the winter. 
  5)Divide those perennials: "Dividing Plants are free" and a fun gift for family and friends! So get the shovel out and divide some of your perennials!
  6)Fix the lawn:Fall is the perfect time to fertilize the lawn and to repair or replace the grass. Fall fertilization allows for good root growth, and gets the grass off to a good start in the spring. Chopping the leaves that fall on your lawn with a mower and letting them remain on the lawn is another way of returning valuable nutrients back to the soil.

Photo by: The Redeemed

 7)Plant:  Fall is the best time to plant your new additions like trees, shrubs, fruit trees, bulbs, garlic and even your perennials that you have divided!
 8)Start laying out a winter Bible devotional plan!
 9)Tools:   If you decide to fall garden, so to continue to have fresh veggies later on then happy gardening to you! But if you are do for the season like must people are, don't forget this last and most forgotten task that must people do forget. I have been guilty myself!
  Clean those shovels, sharpen those blades and chains, fix those handles, hose down your mower and other equipment and don't forget the underneath side of everything, store everything in its proper place and easy to find for next year, and something to help keep away some of the headache for next year is "PUT STABILIZER IN YOUR GAS" or drain it, lol! I have fussed at myself many time for not doing so, as I yank my shoulder off trying to get something started. You have been there or you wouldn't be laughing right know!
  Well here is a few Ideas, leave your other ideas at the bottom and if you have a blog and a great fall helpful idea, Please feel free to leave a link back for use!

Linked To:
Rural Thursday 
Thursday Favorite things 
Home and Garden Thursday 
FG Friday 78 
Fertilizer Friday 
Frugal Tuesdays! 
Harvest Monday 
Barn Hop 82 
Blog Carnival #28