Despite what you may have learned, fall is actually the best time for gardening and lawn care. And there's no better time than fall to "go organic"! Fall planting is great because you have more rain, cooler temperatures, and the sun is less potent. Be sure to amend your soil with plenty of compost, lava sand, humate, dry molasses, and greensand (a.k.a. the "Fantastic Five").

Our average first frost is around November 15th, so you want to get your fall planting done as soon as possible for more delicate plants such as tomatoes and zucchini. In fact, it may be better to plant these more delicate plants in containers, so you can bring them in if a cold snap happens. To the right are a few fall/winter plants that do well in our area. This list is by no means complete, but these plants thrive in our east Texas soils.

By using container planting and planning to utilize row cover techniques, you can extend the harvest into the colder months. If frost is forecast, cover your plants with clear plastic to trap the heat that comes from the ground. You can use plastic thrown over a lawn chair that covers the plant,  or even a cardboard box. Using lots of compost and mulch will help with maintaining warm soil conditions as well. Be sure that your plants are well watered and protected from cold winds.

Another good idea is to let some of your fall plantings go to seed so you can collect and store the seeds for  your spring garden. For more information, give us a call and/or check out one of the many organic gardening books we have for sale in our shop.

Lettuces: start from seed or plants in September, or better yet, plant seeds every 2 weeks for a continuous winter harvest.

Cabbage: start from seed in September. Does well in raised beds. Watch out for harlequin bugs!

Broccoli: start from seed or plants in September. Broccoli loves cooler weather and lots of water and fertilizer.

Turnips and other greens: start outdoors from seed in late August-September. Don't plant seeds more than 1/2" deep.