by Lisa Giroday, Sandra Lopuch and Sam Philips | October is a time of transition in the veggie garden, and there’s a lot on the general “to do” list for the next spell. Here are some key points before we enter the winter months…

1) You might be asking, “Can I sow ANY more seeds?” The answer is yes, but hurry! It’s your last chance to plant garlic and broad beans, so if you don’t have these in but want them, now is your last chance for the season. If you want to sow cover crops to improve your soil, get them in there as well!

2) This week should be the time when any veggie not remaining in your garden over the winter – such as squash and tomatoes – gets yanked out. With tomato plants, use the yard waste bin and not the compost. What stays in the ground over winter? Kale, chard, arugula, cilantro, and more.

3) When the leaves really start falling from the trees and are becoming brown and crisp (like right now), it’s a good idea to “mulch” your garden with them. A 3-4″ layer is the perfect winter insulation for your veggies overwintering (like kale) and adds benefits to the soil’s structure, as mentioned in our article last year. The leaves may fall in just the right place if you’re lucky, but be sure the bases of plants are not covered.

4) Winter Infrastructure: If you have any arugula, cilantro, winter lettuce or other hardy greens in the ground that need a bit more maturation time, consider setting up a hoop house or cloche for an added layer of warmth. They are very easy to install. While your veggies will be OK without it, they will grow faster with that extra few degrees. In the winter, it makes quite the difference!

THE VICTORY GARDENS ARCHIVE

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Victory Gardens is a team of local urban farmers for hire. Lisa, Sandra and Sam help transform tired or underused residential and commercial green spaces into food producing gardens. Their goal is to challenge the way communities use space and to participate in the change needed to consume food more sustainably. For the rest of the growing season, they’ve hooked up with Scout to share some cool tips and tricks on how to get the best from of our own backyards.