Whether you have a patio container garden or a backyard garden, the fall harvest season is coming sooner than you might think.
From cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes to fragrant herbs and flowers - now is the time to start planting.
Jen McDonald, with Garden Girls, shares her guide on what to add to your Fall gardens.
Amend your soil
Heavy feeding plants like tomatoes, cucumber, eggplant have likely depleted the nutrients from your soil.
To prepare your soil, McDonald recommends Nature’s Way Leaf Mold Compost and she then adds Microlife pellets to improve soil health.
Once your soil is ready - it’s time to start planting your veggies.
Cucumbers
Malabar Spinach
Companion plants for Cucumber & Malabar Spinach: Bush beans, help fix nitrogen in the soil (responsible for healthy roots), garlic and chives (helps repel pests because of its strong scent).
Peppers
Sweet peppers are just becoming available now and will benefit from a little afternoon shade or McDonald recommends planting them next to taller spicier peppers, which will grow faster and provide a little bit of shade.
Tomatoes
Remember, if you want Fall tomatoes, now is the time to plant them!
McDonald says you want to plant and harvest these before our first frost hits.
It’s important to know which varieties will do best because we’re still experiencing hot temperatures in Houston.
Companion plants for Peppers & Tomatoes: Basil, said to enhance the flavor of both. It also grows tall and can provide some afternoon shade. Marigold and nasturtium helps repel aphids and other pests.
What else to plant in your Fall Gardens:
Herbs: Continue to plant basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage and chives.
Flowers: Zinnia by seed. Pollinators and natives (Black Eyed Susan, Echinacea)
The Garden Girls are launching their own Harvest Academy with online courses.
CLICK HERE to learn more.