Fall Gardening

Winter Preparation for Fig Trees: Cutting Back and Mulching Fig trees are beloved for their sweet fruit, but they can be sensitive to freezing temperatures, especially in colder climates. Proper winter preparation ensures the tree survives the harsh weather and grows back vigorously in the spring. One effective method involves cutting back the branches and insulating the tree base with mulch. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Preparing Your Garden for a Successful Fall and Winter As summer comes to an end, it’s time to give your fruit trees and berry plants the care they need to thrive through the colder months. Proper fall maintenance not only protects your plants from winter damage but also lays the foundation for healthy growth come spring. Here’s your fall checklist to help ensure a smooth transition into the next season.

How to Prep a Garlic Bed for Planting Preparing a garlic bed properly is essential for growing healthy, productive garlic plants. Garlic is usually planted in the fall, as it needs a cold period to establish strong roots before spring growth. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you prepare your garlic bed for planting.

When Grapes Are Ready to Harvest: A Guide to Determining Ripeness Harvesting grapes at the right time is crucial for achieving optimal flavor, sugar content, and overall quality. Grapes can be used for fresh eating, winemaking, or cooking, and each purpose may have slightly different ripeness criteria. Here’s a comprehensive guide on when grapes are ready to be harvested.

How to Tell When Pawpaws Are Ripe The largest native fruit to North America, the Pawaaw has a custard-like texture and a sweet, tropical flavor. But, to fully enjoy this fruit, you must eat it when it’s at peak ripeness. Ideally, Pawpaws are picked slightly underripe, this allows you to get to them before they drop and critters eat them.

How to Harvest and Store Onions Onions intended for storage are harvested when the bulbs have reached their full size, and the tops start to dry and flop over. In most cases, you can start harvesting storage onions in mid to late summer, about 100-150 days after planting, depending on the variety. Keep an eye on the foliage of the onions. When about half of the foliage has turned brown and fallen over, it's usually a good indication that the onions are ready for harvest.

Garlic Harvesting, Curing & Storage: When & How The best time to harvest garlic depends on the variety and growing conditions, but generally, it's harvested when the bulbs have reached their maximum size, and the plant's leaves have started to yellow and die back. Harvesting garlic at the right time ensures that the bulbs are fully developed and have a good flavor.

YouTube Thumbnail for Mulching Strawberries

How to Protect Strawberry Plants in Winter | Winterize Your Patch with Straw Mulch Winterizing your strawberry patch with mulch can help protect your plants from extreme cold temperatures and ensure a healthy harvest next spring. One simple and effective way to do this is by using straw mulch. Here's how to get started:

Keep Apples Fresh Longer - apples in a basket

Keep Apples Fresh Longer - Proper Storage for Your Apple Harvest Make the most out of your crop by storing your apples properly. With the right conditions, apples can remain fresh for months – in some cases even up to a year! It starts with choosing a variety that stores well and then harvesting and storing with care. Even without a root cellar, apples can remain fresh for a surprisingly long time!

How to Know When Apples are Ready to Pick Knowing when apples are ripe may be easier than you think! Follow these simple steps to know when it's time to harvest apples from your fruit tree.