486 - Making Space for Fall Crops (when summer crops are still growing)
The Beginner's Garden with Jill McSheehyShow Notes
Trying to plant a fall garden when your beds are still full of summer crops? You don't have to clear everything at once. A simple bed-by-bed assessment can help you decide what stays, what goes, and where your fall crops can fit. In this episode, I walk you through how I transition my garden from summer to fall, including how I decide when to remove productive plants, prepare tired soil, add compost, manage mulch and irrigation, and use space underneath taller crops. You'll also learn how I approach direct sowing versus transplants and plan ahead for garlic, onions, and winter beds. Harvest to Kitchen Learn step-by-step how I preserve my garden harvest through canning, freezing, and dehydrating. Use code PRESERVIT by August 31 for $50 off. https://journeywithjill.net/harvest-to-kitchen Key Takeaways Decide which summer crops can come out now.
Identify crops you're ready to stop growing.
Refresh cleared beds with about two inches of compost.
Adjust bed prep for seeds versus transplants.
Use taller summer crops for temporary fall shade.
Chapters 00:00 – Harvest to Kitchen sale 01:48 – Assess your fall garden space 04:08 – Know what can come out 06:32 – Make room for fall brassicas 08:49 – Remove crops you're done with 11:12 – Plan what comes out soon 13:34 – Refresh soil for fall planting 15:45 – Prep for seeds and transplants 18:09 – Plant beneath taller crops 20:27 – Use temporary shade wisely 22:13 – Try relay planting 23:05 – Give brassicas enough sun 25:19 – Plan for garlic and onions 27:44 – Harvest to Kitchen reminder Resource Links Fall Salad Garden Planning Calendar: Plan your fall salad garden with planting dates that help you stay on track. http://journeywithjill.net/fallsaladgarden Friday Emails: https://journeywithjill.net/gardensignup YouTube: https://journeywithjill.net/youtube Podcast Archive: https://journeywithjill.net/podcast Recommended Brands & Products: https://journeywithjill.net/recommended-brands-and-products/ Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/thebeginnersgarden Harvest to Kitchen If preserving your garden harvest is something you want to build into your routine, Harvest to Kitchen walks you through canning, freezing, and dehydrating step-by-step in my kitchen. It includes nearly 60 how-to videos and printable recipes, plus new lessons on freezer pickles and candied jalapeños. Use code PRESERVIT by August 31 to save $50, bringing the price from $149 to $97. https://journeywithjill.net/harvest-to-kitchen Disclaimer Gardening advice shared in this podcast is based on my own experience in Zone 8a (Arkansas) and from the feedback I receive from others in different gardening contexts. Your results may differ depending on your location, climate, and growing conditions. Always check your local extension service or trusted resources for region-specific guidance. Some links mentioned may be affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
More from The Beginner's Garden with Jill McSheehy
Growing fall vegetables when temperatures won't drop can be frustrating, even for experienced gardeners. What can you do to help broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower survive extreme heat? And which crops might surprise you? After six weeks of 100-degree temperatures and drought in my Arkansas garden, I'm sharing what worked, what struggled, and what I'll change next year. We'll talk about planting dates, choosing broccoli varieties, using shade cloth, managing irrigation, and protecting transplants. I'll also share my surprising success with bok choy and what happened to my tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and peppers when the heat just wouldn't let up. YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/fQTlF_XNBHg?si=6Zxg_ScpZVXoBsFt Free Download: Broccoli, Cauliflower & Cabbage Quick-Start Growing Guide Learn when to plant, how to protect your crops, and how to grow healthier brassicas in spring and fall. http://journeywithjill.net/broccoli-guide Key Takeaways Choose short-season broccoli varieties and plant early enough for fall harvests.
Struggling to keep your fall garden alive through unusually hot weather? If your lettuce seedlings are wilting or your fall planting schedule has fallen behind, you're not alone. I'm sharing practical fall gardening lessons from a season of extreme heat and drought in my Arkansas garden. After 13 years of gardening, I experienced something I'd never encountered before: weeks of triple-digit temperatures and flash drought conditions stretching into September. In this episode, I'll walk you through what happened to my lettuce and pansies, the decisions I made to protect my seedlings, and what I'll do differently next time. Free Download: Lettuce Quick-Start Growing Guide Learn when to plant lettuce, how to start seeds indoors, and how to prevent bolting and bitterness. You'll also get free access to my Beginner's Garden Resource Vault. http://journeywithjill.net/lettuce-guide Grow Garlic With Confidence My Garlic Mini Course includes 10 short video lessons covering everything from preparing your soil and planting to harvesting and saving garlic for next year. https://journeywithjill.net/pcaudio/garlicworkshop/ Key Takeaways Learn why lettuce struggles to germinate and grow during extreme heat.
Not sure where to plant garlic without giving up valuable spring garden space? Garlic stays in the garden for months, so where you plant it now matters next spring. In this episode, I'll show you practical garlic planting layouts for raised beds and small gardens. Free Download: Garlic Planting Cheat Sheet Get the timing, spacing, and growing basics you need for your first (or best) garlic crop. http://journeywithjill.net/garliccheatsheet Learn More about Garlic: Garlic Growing Mini Course This mini course is a favorite of my audience! If you want to have success growing garlic click here: journeywithjill.net/pcaudio/garlicworkshop/ Use code GARLIC26 to enroll for just $19 (Reg. $29) Garlic is one of the easiest crops I grow, but it occupies garden space from fall until late spring or early summer. That means your garlic planting plan needs to account for the broccoli, carrots, lettuce, peppers, and other crops you may want to grow next year. In this episode, I'm sharing several ways to fit garlic into your garden, including borders, relay planting, checkerboard layouts, and dedicated garlic beds. I'll also explain which crops can share space with garlic and which ones I would avoid. Key Takeaways Treat fall-planted garlic as your first spring planting.
Planting onions in fall might give you an earlier harvest than you thought possible. If you garden in Zone 7 or warmer, overwintering onions may help you harvest sooner, reduce bolting, and spread your onion harvest across several months. In this episode, I'm sharing what happened when I tested fall-planted onions in my Zone 8a Arkansas garden and how to decide whether this method could work where you live. Free Download: Onion Quick-Start Growing Guide Learn how to choose the right onion type for your location, get your planting timing right, and grow bigger, healthier onions. Get the Onion Quick-Start Growing Guide Key Takeaways Decide if fall planting fits your climate.
Your fall garden may be growing the same vegetables you planted in spring, but that doesn't mean they need the same care. Shorter days, warm soil, changing temperatures, and slower growth all affect how you should water, shade, and protect fall crops. In this episode, I'll help you adjust your fall garden care so lettuce, carrots, broccoli, and other cool-season crops have what they need. Free Download: Spinach Growing Guide Spinach can be a tricky crop to grow successfully depending on your location. This guide will help you have success. https://journeywithjill.net/pcaudio/spinach-guide/ Key Takeaways Water more at planting, then taper as fall cools. Remove shade cloth once seedlings are established. Give broccoli and carrots as much fall sun as possible. Plant more lettuce and greens to offset slower growth. Protect crops from sudden early freezes when needed. Chapters 00:00 – Why fall care is different 02:05 – Adjust watering as temperatures change 05:15 – Use fall shade cloth differently 07:26 – Know when to remove shade 09:47 – Give broccoli more fall sun 11:13 – Why carrots need enough sunlight 13:29 – Plant more fall lettuce and greens 15:42 – Prepare crops for early freezes 18:06 – When to use row covers 20:30 – Learn by observing your garden 21:44 – What's coming next Resource Links Seasonal Garden Task List: https://journeywithjill.net/seasonal-task-list Friday Emails + Free Growing Guides: https://journeywithjill.net/gardensignup Recommended Brands & Products: https://journeywithjill.net/recommended-brands-and-products/ Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/thebeginnersgarden Complete Garden Planner: https://shop.journeywithjill.net/ Disclaimer Gardening advice shared in this podcast is based on my own experience in Zone 8a (Arkansas) and from the feedback I receive from others in different gardening contexts. Your results may differ depending on your location, climate, and growing conditions. Always check your local extension service or trusted resources for region-specific guidance. Some links mentioned may be affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.