Eight Fall Garden and Houseplant Tips

What are your favorite fall activities?

Outside of pumpkin carving, you’re probably making hearty recipes that call for mustard greens and garlic and what about shallots? All of these veggies are perfect for your fall garden!The Fang garden center made the transition from summer to fall over the past few weeks. We’re ready to talk about veggie starts for fall and what winter cover crops are appropriate for the season.

The advice we’re giving to customers?

This is a great time to plant out natives, adding worm castings and compost to the holes for trees and shrubs. Give them a good mulching once planted to help retain moisture and warmth.

We’re hosting an event in October!

Dug and Cover: An Introduction to Autumn Gardening. The Fang staff will host a free seminar/demo on October 14 & 15 from 12-1:30 p.m. covering Autumn Gardening. 

Eight Fall Garden and Houseplant Tips:

#1. Veggie starts that experts recommend for fall gardens include:[/Broccoli

  • Cauliflower
  • Arugula
  • Mustard Greens
  • Beets
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Endive
  • Radishes
  • Spinach
  • Chard
  • Lettuce
  • Garlic, and Shallots.

bThese are crops to plant now and the seedlings will overwinter.#2. According to Fine Gardening Magazine, “Bring particularly rare or expensive plants inside. Some can go dormant in a dark basement, while others will overwinter happily in a sunny room.”#3. Put a Succulent in it – a great fall project: Fang has a large variety of succulents that you can add to vessels. You can even place them on the top of a birdhouse. Or check out these tips on how to make a succulent wall garden!#4. Houseplants like air plants are perfect for fall and super low-maintenance.#5. Winter Cover Crops: It’s a good time to be working on soil improvement. By planting a cover crop in summer or fall and letting it overwinter, you can:

  • improve soil organic matter and soil fertility,
  • suppress cool-season weeds, prevent soil erosion,
  • and create a better seedbed for spring planting.

We will have Rye, Peas, Wheat, and Crimson Clover available this fall for your Northwest garden.

#6. Worm castings are a great option for fall gardening. They stimulate plant growth more than any other natural product available. Worm castings are absorbed easily and immediately by plants. They also inhibit root diseases. (Also Worm tea is a thing! It is made with the worm castings, not the worms. If you’re interested in learning more, check this article out.)#7. Herbal advice: Cilantro can be seeded now through the beginning of October. And chives in the ground can stay or starts can be planted. Transplanting shrub herbs like rosemary, lavender, and sage can happen now. They may try to flower quickly but the growing period is pretty much done and this can help minimize transplant shock.#8. Natives like Oregon Grape, Mountain Currant, Oregon Stonecrop, and Nookta Rose are top performers and superheroes of fall plantsCome see what’s available at Fang and get more fall garden and houseplant tips.