By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

As the days shorten and temperatures cool garden maintenance becomes a crucial chore that needs to be done.

But do not think that if you did not garden in the beautiful dark earth that you can sit on your laurels until next season.

There are still plenty of things that need to be done before the cold winter wind blows.

The first thing to remember is that this closing down the “garden” will be spread out according to what you planted and how you planted it. If you planted cold crops in the ground just cover when cold weather shows up and uncover when the sun comes up or place in a cold frame. If you planted cold crops in planters simply cover for a frost or if the container can be moved just bring indoors. But remember to uncover and/or take back outside in the morning.

If cold crops were not planted getting ready for winter is easy. First gleam all the remaining produce off plants. Many vegetables can be ripened off the plant Read the rest of this entry »

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

This year’s gourd crop has arrived with mixed blessings.

My gourds were planted in a vertical fashion to maximize my limited space.

My birdhouse gourds and dipper gourds were planted on opposite ends of m clothesline with loofahs dispersed in between.

My bushel gourds and assorted varieties of gourds were planted along the side of my shed. All my gourds have been healthy this year but I have had some problems. Fertilization has been a big problem this year. My gourds produce male blooms in search of a mate to fertilize but to now avail.

The blooms have Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

When I was growing up in Southern California, November wasn’t really so different from the other months.

You could still plant some vegetables, and flowers were still popping up everywhere.

Utah certainly was a shock in that respect.

After watching all of the leaves fall off the trees, I was left with a snowy white canvas for a yard.

In November, many gardeners are tying up the loose ends of the gardening season and getting it prepared for next year.

One of the main tasks waiting in the November garden is raking leaves. One way that we make it easier is to use a large tarp. We raked the leaves onto the tarp, which was easy enough to drag around the yard. When we finished, we could just drag it back to the backyard. You could use these leaves in your compost or mulch.

As an urban gardener, you Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

You may have been throwing away one of the best sources for mulches and composts.

During the fall and winter, many yards become filled with fallen leaves.

Most people rake them up, put them in garbage bags, and throw them away.

However, this is an excellent free source of garden nutrients that also keeps more waste out of the landfills.

All you need to do is prepare a leaf mulch. Simply create a pile of leaves that is 2″ thick, set your lawn mower on high, and make a few passes to make sure the leaves are chopped well enough. Don’t do this when the leaves are very wet, and don’t pile them too thick.

If you want to add nutrients to your lawn, you can Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

We’re more than halfway through the summer, sad as that is to say.

That means, though, that it’s time to start thinking about fall crops to be started soon.

The first round of lettuces are probably turning bitter, the spinach is a happy memory- but for the clever gardener, those veggies and more will get a replay by starting soon.

• Lettuce: After the lettuce starts tasting bitter or hot or turns tough, it’s time to let it go. Dig out the plant and compost. Now, you can direct seed a heat tolerant variety. Or, you can start lettuce seeds in a shady corner of your garden. Pot them into small peat pots, newspaper cones or just seedling trays, and you’ll have the new lettuce plants ready to be popped into the ground in mid-August.

• Spinach: This is one of the earliest crops in Read the rest of this entry »