Useful life hacks for the garden in October

It may seem that the main worries are behind, the harvest is gathered, and you can finally exhale. But right now, in this "quiet" season, experienced gardeners carry out the most important manipulations that will determine the success of the next season.



October is a responsible period when the foundation of the future harvest is laid. The right actions now will save you a lot of time and effort in the next season. We have collected the most useful and practical life hacks for you.
 

Everyone knows that green manure crops are one of the best "living" fertilizers. To improve the soil, experienced gardeners sow green manure crops, then mow them and dig the beds. Our life hack is to skip incorporating the green mass into the soil. If you sowed mustard, phacelia, oats – do not dig them in, but cut them with a flat cutter or scythe and leave them on the bed as mulch.

The mown greenery, like a blanket, covers the soil, protecting it from freezing and erosion, and then gradually rotting, turns into the most valuable organic fertilizer. Moreover, the roots of green manure crops, remaining in the soil, rot and create channels for air and water, thereby improving the soil structure and loosening it even without digging.
 

Not all plant residues need to be burned: sort them. Healthy tops (from carrots, beets, zucchini) are an excellent component for future compost or a base for warm beds.

Diseased tops (from tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes with signs of late blight or powdery mildew) must be immediately removed from the plot or burned. Putting them into compost means risking the future harvest.

If you burn plant residues, the ash from them will become an excellent potassium fertilizer, and fungal spores and pest larvae will be destroyed.
 

Winter sowing will "unload" your spring work calendar and help you get an early harvest. Carrots, beets, radishes, dill, parsley, sorrel, lettuce (leaf and head) are perfect for winter sowing. These crops are sown in November, approximately a month after planting winter garlic. And already in April-May you will enjoy the first greens and radishes.

Wait for stable cold weather when the soil temperature drops to 2-3°C, and there are stable frosts at night. This is necessary so that the seeds do not sprout in autumn, but only swell and overwinter. The bed is prepared in advance: furrows are made and dry soil or sand is prepared for covering.

Increase the sowing rate by 25-30%, as some seeds may not overwinter. And mulch the bed with peat or compost.
 

Tree and shrub leaves are not garbage, but "gold" for the garden. Therefore, do not remove fallen leaves from the plot, but use them to prepare leaf compost.

Collect the leaves in black garbage bags, slightly moisten them, make several holes and leave them in a secluded corner of the garden. In 1.5-2 years you will get loose, nutritious leaf compost.

And if you use compost accelerators or EM-preparations, you can get valuable fertilizer by next autumn.

Healthy fallen leaves can be used to mulch tree and shrub trunks, beds with winter crops and perennial plants.
 

In autumn, a lot of coarse material (tops, branches, leaves) gets into the compost pile. So that it doesn’t lie as dead weight, apply the life hack we’ll call "layered pie".

"Brown" (carbon-rich) layers – dry leaves, shredded branches, straw (about 15-20 cm) – should be alternated with "green" (nitrogen-rich) – mown grass, green manure crops, food waste (about 5-10 cm). Don’t forget the "catalyst" layer: a bit of ready compost or fertile soil. Then pour the whole mass with a solution of EM-preparations (Baikal, Shine).
 

When the beds are empty, it’s easy to forget what was planted where, so use plastic tags, paint the edges of stones or make signs from moisture-resistant material.

Label not only the crop name, but also the variety and planting date. In spring this will save you from puzzles and allow you to plan crop rotation accurately.
 

This is something many often postpone "for later", and in spring discover rusty shovels and rotten wheelbarrows. Allocate a dry place for tools. Shovels, rakes, hoes, forks should be thoroughly cleaned of soil; clean, wash and disinfect all tools.

Sharpen blades and treat metal parts with machine oil or special lubricant to protect them from rust.

Drain water from barrels and hoses, roll them up and store them.

Use these life hacks to work less and gain more. Add these tasks to your calendar. By working now, you save precious time in spring and are guaranteed to get a healthier, richer and earlier harvest.