The first cold of the autumn hit recently, and with it comes the desire to pack everything into the garage and snuggle up under your nearest blanket. But for gardeners everywhere, this change in weather is all part of the rhythm of life. There is still plenty of work to do at this time, and plenty to enjoy about being outside.

Right now is a great time to be thinking about next spring. We gardeners can run to our garden shops and catalogs and picture great color for when the last of the snows melt away, even if we haven’t experienced the first touch of winter yet. Now is a great time to amend the soil for next year’s gardens.

Betsy Kelson, staff horticulturalist with Jared’s Nursery spent a little time with us to review this past summer’s challenges and getting the ground ready for next spring.

“The problem this year,” said Betsy, “is that there’s been so much moisture and so much disease as a result. All the lovely greens from your squash and pumpkin family plants will probably need to go into the trash instead of your compost bin.” She explained that the moisture had caused a lot of powdery mildew, a fungus that grows on vegetables in warm weather and whose spores are carried by wind to new hosts. This fungus is not something to nurture in a compost bin as it can infect plants from the ground up as well, putting next year’s crops at risk for lower production.

“There has also been an increase in bugs for us this year,” said Betsy. “They’re always around, but with the moist weather we’ve had, there’s also been an increase in them showing in our gardens.” Betsy specifically mentioned flea beetles, and hawk or hummingbird moths. “The hummingbird moths are very attractive and people like them, until they lay their eggs, which brings horn worms to tomatoes and impatiens.”

One tip Betsy offered for dealing with this onslaught so that we can start fresh next spring is to let the ground dry out a bit, and then till the soil, surfacing the bugs so that hopefully, they’ll be exposed to a nice cold winter and all but the strongest bugs will die off.

“To check for appropriate dryness to your soil,” said Betsy, “form a ball in your hand. If a light flick on the ball is enough to make it crumble, your soil is ready to till.”

Another tip for playing in your garden right now is to plan to amend your soil for better pH balance. PH levels measure the acidity or alkaline in your soil. Betsy said you want to keep a measurement of 6 ½ to 7 ½ on a meter. “Most of the in-ground beds will have Colorado soil structure, so adding a little peat moss will help lower the pH and make your ground easier to work. But a lot of gardens are raised beds any more. Then it’s a good idea to check the pH with a meter in moist soil, or use a test kit you can buy for just around a dollar to look at it. You can make adjustments with a lot of products for sale, but don’t guess at what your soil may need.”

Now would also be a good time to re-seed bare spots in your grass, and plant cover crops in your vegetable areas. Cover crops are sometimes referred to as “green manures,” and help amend and refresh your soil. Think of them as your garden’s visit to a health spa. Some great plants to sew now include legumes, wheat or rye grass, pea plants or vetch. In the spring your garden will thank you with healthier crops.

We asked Betsy about our crazy weather this year.

“This weather is like the weather in the 1970’s,” she said. “My friend grew up in Aurora, and he said you could almost set your watch by the summer storms at that time. We’re just experiencing the effects of our first El Niño in a while. This is better than the four or five years of drought we had, but I guess it comes with its own issues.”

And there’s one more thing to think about planting now–bulbs! Colorful alliums, iris, daylilies and more will bring a genuine smile to your face, when you plant them at the base of your deck. Imagine sitting out on that first warm day in April and witnessing crocus peep up from under a soft blanket of snow. The yellows and purples of an early spring garden will warm up any day, but now is the time to plan for it.

Yes, the seasons are changing, but today is a great day to be out in your garden.

(Photo by Bryn Pinzgauer)