Mid–late summer is an excellent time to revisit the garden, review its successes and challenges and plan for fall – the season of renewal, regrowth and reimagining. Let’s look at some strategies that invite us to optimize the health and productivity of Colorado’s unique gardening season.

Tip #1 – Know When to Plant

Denver’s first frost can occur the first week in October
Check the maturity date (days to harvest) on the back of seed packets
Add the time needed for germination (usually 7 – 10 days), plus another 10 days to your time to account for slower growth with decreasing daylight hours

Planting techniques:

Plant slightly deeper than in spring to account for hot, dry soil, moistening soil prior to planting
Water consistently, in the cool of the day
Always water the roots and soil, not the leaves
Mulch planting area with straw
Spray with liquid kelp (1 tsp. kelp concentrate per quart of water)
Consider using shade cloth attached to a wooden frame for peas, lettuce & spinach

Tip #2 – Select Varieties Wisely

Crops either grown for a fall harvest or planted to overwinter & mature the following spring or early summer include:
- Seeds: leaf lettuces, spinach, arugula, mustard, radish, beets, peas, carrots, kohlrabi, green onions, cilantro (may overwinter to produce early spring crop)
- Transplants: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts
- Spring, early summer harvest: garlic
Choose the variety of seed or transplant that matures in the shortest period of time

Tip #3 – Remove Crops that are No Longer Productive

Any spring crops still standing in the garden (peas, radish, mustards, arugula, lettuce or spinach) should be removed, chopped up & used in the compost pile if not heavily infested with insects
Renew soil prior to planting & around established crops:

Spread around an inch of plant–based compost (such as ‘A1 EcoGro’) on vacant plot areas & around main season crops
1. Dig compost around 2” into bare areas & scratch several handfuls lightly into the soil around all remaining plants

Tip #4 – Save Space for Garlic

Garlic is best planted in early October
- Either ‘hardneck’ (the kind that produces a flowering stalk called a ‘scape’) or ‘softneck’ (the kind usually found in grocery stores & used for garlic ‘braids’) can be planted
- Carefully separate the bulb into individual cloves, using the largest cloves for planting & smaller ones for eating
- Leave the papery skin intact & plant in compost–enriched soil, 3 – 4” deep, 4 – 5” apart in full sun

Mulch with several inches of loose straw or chopped leaves (run over them with a lawnmower) if planting after leaf drop
Water well several times over the winter if we don’t have adequate snow cover

Tip #5 – Plant Fall Cover Crops

Grains such as winter rye and legumes such as hairy vetch are planted, often mixed together to cover the soil like a blanket, preventing soil erosion
Their roots improve soil structure, opening up air channels that promote deeper rooting for subsequent crops & also provide nutrients that benefit soil microorganisms
They can serve as habitats & food sources for beneficial insects
They keep weed species in check by covering the soil surface & decreasing sunlight available for weed germination

Planting techniques:

Plant by mid–late September
Follow directions on the cover seed packet regarding amounts to plant
Rake seed lightly into the top ¼ – ½” of soil, lightly pressing it in with a hoe
Cover with a light layer of straw or chopped leaves
Water

Early spring care:

Cut down the cover crop before it reaches knee – high, leaving the top growth on the surface as a mulch & the roots in the ground.
Wait 2 weeks for decomposition to occur prior to planting spring seeds
Enjoy your best garden ever, knowing that you have worked to prepare fertile, moisture–retentive, biologically alive soil

This article was originally published on dug.org.