Fall is for Soil Care!

If there’s one bit of garden wisdom that I try to impart on my garden clients, it’s that fall is the time to focus on soil! So, whether you have a traditional garden, raised beds or just a container garden, soil care should always be a top priority in fall.

Why is fall the ideal time to focus on soil care? Because that’s what nature does!

As ecological gardeners, we always want to be mimicking nature’s patterns. And each fall, nature covers her soil with plant debris from annuals and frost-tender perennials that die back along with a plethora of fallen leaves.

This provides a thick layer of cover to protect the soil and its inhabitants (worms, microorganisms, nesting insects & pollinators) during the harsh winter. It also provides a fresh layer of organic matter that will decompose over the winter months to nourish the soil and provide nutrients that will be ready and available for plants during the upcoming growing seasons.

The easiest way to nourish your soil this fall:

The easiest thing that we can do for our soil is to top dress it! In the same way that nature pours on the organic matter each fall, we can do the same by top-dressing our pots and garden beds.

To top dress your soil, simply apply a thick layer of organic matter! For pots, you may only be able to add an inch or two, whereas you can probably add several inches to raised beds. Just apply as much as you have space for.

Top dressing your pots and planters is a great way to prepare them for the upcoming growing season and to help them recover nutrients that were used or leached during the previous growing season. You can top dress your soil whether or not you choose to continue growing during the fall and winter.

Some ideal sources of organic matter for the small-scale garden can include any of the following (or a combination of them all!):

• Mulched leaves (rip/shred them to help them start to break down)

• Compost (homemade or store-bought)

• Vermicompost (worm castings)

Lucky for you, with the Planted membership, you get a fresh supply of worm castings in each shipment. If you are running low or want to apply an extra supply this month as we head into the winter months, you can order more worm castings in our member shop here.