NOTE: The editor was slow in posting this blog. Apologies to the author.
November came fast and the weather has been warm, but it is now time to consider my next gardening steps for the winter season. It is finally starting to cool down and prospects for rain are looming.
My summer vegetable garden has started to look a bit ragged, but each time I planned to remove the plants from the raised beds I have been surprised to find more crops for harvesting. My Sungold tomatoes are still producing, and the lemon cucumbers have recently come to life! It's tough to make the decision to get rid of the summer crops that are still producing, but it really is time to prepare the garden beds for winter.
This brings a question to mind: Should I plant some fun winter veggies like swiss chard, different kinds of lettuces, beets or radicchio? I had to opt out this time around for a few key reasons. First, we do have a number of family commitments and I will likely have limited time for regular garden maintenance for a good harvest. Most importantly, it is already getting late in the season for planting most winter veggies. Winter crops need a little time to get their roots established before the cold weather sets in, and it is already turning chilly in the evenings.
I do not want the soil to be exposed to the winter elements, so I decided to plant some simple cover crops in the garden beds. Most cover crops need at least four weeks before a fall frost, which is expected by November 21st for Solano County. I am already running late for setting a cover crop, but sometimes you just need to throw down some seeds and cross your fingers with hopes that the results will be prosperous.
Cover crops can provide so many benefits to the garden, including the following:
- Increase nutrients and organic matter;
- Prevent soil from blowing or washing away, minimizes soil compaction and improves essential ground air circulation;
- Suffocate and control weeds;
- Produce habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects;
- AND provide some visually appealing green plants in the garden throughout winter.
I found that there are many different types of cover crops available at local nurseries and online gardening sites. Your choice will depend on the time of year, what you want to accomplish, and of course, the look you want in your garden.
In the past I have had good luck sowing seeds in our Zone 9 during the fall season. The seeds I planted were Crimson Clover Trifolium incarnatum (great for providing nitrogen) and Hairy Vetch Vicia villos, which is a really pretty plant that looks like a fern. They both did a great job at suppressing weed growth.
Careful, do not let the cover crops go to seed or they can really take over the garden! You can remove the crops right about the time they flower, or sooner. Some methods to consider for removing cover crops:
- Rototill the crops back into the soil. This is probably the quickest way and will enrich the soil – just be gentle and do not overturn the soil too much to avoid disrupting the complex soil structure and foundation.
- Cut out the cover crop and compost. This is wonderful material for the compost bin!
- Use a weed-eater or mow down the crop and leave the material on top of the bed for decomposition.
Time to tend to the garden right after posting this blog!