Fall Gardening: Is It Too Late to Plant?

Wondering what you can still get done in the garden before the season wraps up?

This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne explains why fall is still a great time to add compost, plant new perennials, divide and move existing plants, and even start a brand-new garden bed. She also shares an easy, low-maintenance way to create a new garden using cardboard, compost and mulch so you can be ready to plant when spring arrives.

Some of the topics covered in this week's episode:

It is not too late to add compost or soil to your garden.

Organic material is best. You probably have enough soil, and if you want to increase the volume or improve the soil, adding compost or manure is best.

It is not too late to plant new plants.

You can safely add plants to your garden until the end of October.

It is not too late to move your existing plants or to divide plants and relocate them in your garden.

Peonies especially prefer to be transplanted in the fall, and it just makes sense for spring-blooming plants so that you don't miss out on the blooms.

It is not too late to start a new garden.

Removing sod, adding triple mix plus more compost, then adding the plants really gets you ahead for next year. And if you don't want to remove the sod, consider Hellstrip (aka lasagna) gardening.

Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss? Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca