Organic German porcelain garlic
The ancient Druids of Celtic tribes believed that October was the close of the natural cycle of the year, and many cultures use the end of October as a way of honoring the dead. However, with endings come new beginnings, and October is a busy month in the garden for protecting plants and soil and for planting. Here are some things to consider doing in the garden a few weeks before the first frost.
Preparing a cloche: A cloche is a shelter built from glass or plastic draped over a tunnel of plastic frames. It's affordable, easily constructed and moved, and beneficial in fall for several reasons: it will prolong the harvest of tender or half-hardy plants by protecting them from the first frosts, and it will help protect over-wintering vegetables from the cold and winds. The structure of the cloche is beneficial in that it allows diffuse winter light to enter from all directions. Keep in mind that a cloche should be ventilated by opening the ends on days above 40 degrees. Air over leaf surfaces will help prevent disease. Also, remove the plastic on mild, rainy days for moisture.
Planting bulbs: For lovers of garlic and onions and other tasty alliums, now is the time to get them planted. When choosing locations, consider that they like sun and also keep companion planting in mind to help ward of pests and diseases, attract beneficial insects, and promote soil health; for example, strawberries like onions; roses like garlic; apples like leeks and garlic; and tomatoes like onions and garlic.
It's also time to plant flowering bulbs to help wake us in the spring from our winter doldrums and to provide early-season sources of nectar for pollinators. Again, bulbs like sunshine, but remember that deciduous trees and shrubs won't have leaves in the early spring, so plant in unexpected nooks. Bulbs like to be planted in well-drained soil with the pointy side up and the root side down in clumps rather than rows or individually. Consider planting some of these bulbs that thrive in our region: crocuses, daffodils, irises, tulips, trillium, grape hyacinths, dog's tooth violet, glory of the snow, and ornamental onions.
Cover crops: Cover crops can help increase the fertility of the soil by adding nitrogen, protecting from erosion, and breaking up hard-packed soil. Now is the time to plant cover crops over spent vegetable beds or new beds. Plant fava beans, vetch, and other legumes both for an early spring harvest but also for the beneficial relationship they have with the soil. Legumes grow in a symbiotic relationship with soil-inhabiting bacteria which results in higher levels of nitrogen in the soil. Not only will cover crops improve the health of your garden below the surface, they will also attract beneficial insects in early spring, provide early crops (try buttered fava beans with garlic), and make great compost. Look for cover crop seed packets at such places as Bountiful Gardens.
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