If you're one of those people with a productive green thumb, you have my endless admiration. And if the cool fall temperatures already have you longing for sunny days spent in the dirt, well, you're in luck!
You can garden in the fall, and in fact, some horticulture experts recommend fall gardening over spring.
"Many cool-season vegetables produce their best flavor and quality when they mature during cool weather," according to a report from North Carolina State University's Department of Horticulture Science. In some parts of the country, including North Carolina, spring temperatures "often heat up quickly. Vegetables, such as lettuce and spinach, tend to bolt or develop bitter flavor when they mature during hot summer weather."
In September, you'll want to plant vegetables that mature quickly, like turnips and leafy greens. You may also want to check with your local nursery for advice on other plants and vegetables that will thrive during your area's fall weather.
We got tipped to a new product from DuPont that promises to eliminate the problem of weeds in our garden.
Their WeedFree Premium landscape fabric supposedly provides a strong defense against weeds and helps promote healthy plants and shrubs. It's made of spun-bonded polypropylene which creates a breathable barrier that resists punctures, unraveling or tearing while allowing air, moisture and nutrients to permeate.
Another valuable feature is that it eliminates the need to use any toxic weed killers which make it perfect for organic gardens or areas where children will be playing. We plan on laying it down while we build a sandbox this week and we'll keep you posted on how it performs.
One of the disadvantages to living in a loft, apartment or condo is the lack of outdoor space. As a Kansas City loft dweller, I find myself lamenting my lack of balcony or patio on a daily basis, especially now that gardening season is in full swing and I crave fresh herbs on a daily basis.
If you're lucky enough to have even a small porch or patio at your building, you can garden on a smaller scale by creating your own container garden. Condo resident Jennifer Myers wrote a fantastic guest post for HGTV Canada that includes step-by-step instructions for her DIY container garden.
She also mentioned several key factors to consider before you create your own container. The most important? The size of your container garden. Her planter is large and heavy (800+ pounds), but it's ideal for her ground-floor condo and 500-square-foot patio. If you find yourself with less space or are higher up and don't want to build something as heavy, consider scaling down your container and using a lightweight wood.
And once your container is finished, you'll want to study your outdoor area in order to decide which plants are ideal for your surroundings. Maybe your patio doesn't receive a lot of direct sunlight, or, on the flip side, it's exposed to the sun for much of the day. Plus, if you're high up, wind may be a factor, so you'd want to select hardy plants that can better withstand the elements.
I don't remember how old I was when I first found out that the bright, sunny dandelions I loved so much were weeds. How could something so cheerful be classified in such a pesky, frustrating group of plants?
But alas, weeds are every gardener's nightmare (well, one of them, anyway.) If you've got a weed situation, you can always head to your nearest lawn and garden store and pick up a bottle of weed killer. But if you're in the market for some other ideas (including eco-friendly alternatives), we've got some ideas for you thanks to some help from Reader's Digest.
Ways To Kill Weeds
1. Baking soda: This is a great tactic to stop weeds from growing in the cracks of your driveway or sidewalk. Sprinkle baking soda on the concrete surface, then sweep into the cracks.
2. Bleach: Like baking soda, this is an ideal solution for weeds that are growing in sidewalk or driveway cracks. Pour a little bit of undiluted bleach on the weeds, then pull them out the next day. The bleach will keep the weeds from growing again.
