August 31, 2019 - Issue #424

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Learn to identify snakes as harmful or helpful to your gardens.

The colors of autumn are upon us. While we should sit back and enjoy the show, this is also the time of year to prepare to grow more color for next year. Fall is the perfect time to plant wildflowers in most of the country.

Fall is a great time of year to tune up your soil. The year's harvest is winding down, the cool weather makes gardening enjoyable, and many of the soil amendments you add now will have all winter to break down before your next planting. Vegetables, herbs, and fruits all take nutrients from the soil as they grow. Each year you need to replace those nutrients to insure a healthy harvest. It all begins and ends with the soil.

Fall is the time when many trees, shrubs and wild plants release their seeds -- making it a good time to explore their many dispersal strategies and collect them for planting in your own garden.

Few pleasures match the satisfaction of tasting summer's fruits long after the season has passed--appreciation seems to increase the further the calendar is from summer. Although the intense aroma and flavor of a tomato just picked from the vine are almost intoxicating, by season's end, dealing with the bounty is almost a burden. After all, there are only so many friends to share the harvest with. Preserving these garden treasures, an art born of necessity, allows you to extend the season in several ways. Freezing fresh tomatoes is quick and easy, but the defrosted fruit can have a mealy texture. Canning offers