Regional Gardening—Your Guide to a Northwestern Fall Garden

As fall starts to settle in, it’s a good idea to start clearing some space in the yard. Start by harvesting any crops left over from summer planting—and enjoy some delicious meals while you’re at it! Next, clear away any plant debris to keep the garden tidy and give new crops plenty of space to grow. You can set yourself up for success by keeping your tools organized and at the ready. Consider reorganizing your shed to bring your fall and winter garden tools forward; you’ll want rakes and snow tools to be accessible over the fall and winter so that you can keep your pathways clear. If you have a sliding-door shed, reorganizing on the fly is a cinch. Also, consider putting together a lawn cart with all of your most-used garden gear to avoid having to do too much back and forth while you are harvesting and planting this fall.

Many Northwestern gardeners are able to plant and harvest crops well into the fall, as they won’t experience a killing freeze in October. Still, it’s best to choose plants that can resist a brief, unexpected frost—we recommend radishes and leafy greens. Cabbages and Brussels sprouts are also an excellent choice for fall planting, as they actually benefit from a brief frost! Be sure to keep an eye on expected frost dates and pay close attention to the weather so that you can cover more vulnerable plants when a sudden drop in temperature is expected. Give subterranean crops such as shallots and garlic plenty of time before the first frost so they can fully establish a root system before winter sets in. They’ll lie dormant over the winter before shooting up in spring!

Cover crops are hardy winter plants that cover space in your garden over the coldest months of the year. They benefit your spring harvest in surprising ways—by helping prevent weeds from taking root and by enriching the soil with essential nutrients like nitrogen. They also provide organic compost for your spring garden. We recommend legumes like clovers (which look pretty too!), though grasses like barley or wheatgrass make a great alternative. Grasses aren’t as resistant to the cold as legumes and won’t introduce as much nitrogen into the soil, but they are easier to grow and act as great wind blocks if your garden is in a windy location.

Depending on what kind of outdoor furniture you have, you may need to do some additional preparation before the weather gets too cold or wet. We recommend using materials like resin, which are weather resistant and can be kept outside all year round. More delicate items, such as wicker furniture—and accessories like pillows and blankets—will need to be stored in your house, garage, or basement over winter.

You’ll also want to winterize your hose reel. This is easily done and will prevent damage to the hose between now and next spring. Simply drain the hose, let it dry, then store it away in your basement, garage, or other location where the temperature won’t dip below freezing.