As the fall harvest comes to an end there are many things you can do with your garden bed to help get it ready for next spring, such as cleaning out dead plants, planting cover crops to protect soil from erosion and provide nutrients, or even plant a winter garden.
Mother Earth News magazine recommends that at the very minimum you will want to remove dead and dying plants from your vegetable garden. This prevents buildup of plant disease and gives insects little reason to hang around your garden. If insects decide to move on before they hibernate for the winter they will not be near your garden when they ravenously emerge in Spring. The plant material removed can go into your compost bin.
Cover crops are often called green manure as they can provide many beneficial nutrients and prevent bare soil from eroding away due to wind or rain. The University of Illinois Extension recommends that you plant any cover crops at least four weeks before the first frost date to give cover crops time to get established. The type of cover crop you'd want to use depends on your area and what nutrients you're trying to introduce. Cornell University provides a handy chart that goes into most basic cover crop choices. Seed for cover crops can be found locally or online at merchants like Green Cover Seed.
Another option if your climate allows is to plant a winter garden. Many vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, carrots, onions, and spinach can tolerate temperatures down to 10 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Heavy mulching and use of cold frames, which are like miniature greenhouses, can help keep plans hardy in colder temperatures. Cold frames can be constructed using old windows or plastic wrap and PVC pipes for $25 or less.
Whatever solution you decide to use for your garden, make sure your soil is protected and ready when it thaws out in spring. Photo by Linda N..
Preparing Your Vegetable Garden for Winter | Mother Earth News