Keeping the Garden Growing: Summer to Fall Transition

Summer may be winding down, but the garden still has plenty to give. Learn how I’m extending the harvest into the fall by fertilizing heavy feeders, clearing spent plants, hilling potatoes, and planting a new round of cool-season vegetables.

Summer fruits and vegetables get a lot of attention among gardeners but the rewards dont have to end as the trees drop their leaves. Here is what I'm doing for my garden to continue to receive fruits and vegetables during the -ber months:

• Heading back or "topping" prolific summer plants to redirect energy from the plant growing towards the fruit production 
• Lightly fertilizing heavy feeders (plants like tomatoes and melons require lots of nutrients and toward the end of their season they may need more food to give a last good push of production)
• Pulling the plug on plants we've had enough from (for example, my yellow summer squash has given us abundance. As temps drop, the fruit will produce less and less so the large, mature vine is using a lot of space and resources but giving only a little fruit. It's time to go)
• Last hilling of the potatoes (I planted the seed potatoes in July, hilled once or twice as the plant began to grow. I went ahead and  filled the containers as a final hilling. I will let these grow until foliage dies back, watering only if we dont get rain for several weeks)
• Planting! I've started the following plants for fall gardening: peas, butternut squash, broccoli, brussel sprouts, swiss chard, and cabbage. I'm also succession planting more beans. I had previously started (a little early, oops) beets, which are coming along nicely.