First time gardener, what to do for winter?

Question

Hi, my first garden is almost done, only tomatoes left. It is almost overrun with weeds and crabgrass! It seems to be a big problem in my area this year. What do I do? Do I till it again before winter, or put something on it. I remember my Dad doing something with lime, but when and why? Any helpful hints would be appreciated.

Answer 1

A) Mow everything in your garden area down, as-low-as-possible.
B) Rototill or turn the soil, this will incorporate the organic matter you just mowed.
C) Add Manure or Compost into the soil, and Rototill again.
D) Lay down old newspapers, they become a soil enhancer, as they break down.
E) Cover with inexpensive tarps or garden plastic, and secure against the wind, this also will stop weeds from growing.
F) Enjoy your beautiful Weed Free Garden next year.

Answer 2

You can till the old plants in for the winter. The old plant material becomes "fertilizer" for the spring and enriches the soil. Lime is used to reduce the acidity of the soil and improve the plants' ability to use fertilizer. But only in certain soil types. You can call places like TruGreen, LawnDoctor, etc., who will do free assessments and let you know what your soil type is. If you have a pH above 7 - no lime. But the vast majority of the US has acidic soil - particularly the eastern U.S. Lime is good for the entire yard, especially the soil. Also consider Gypsum if you live in an area with heavy clay. Over a period of about 5 years, Gypsum will seep into the clay and soften it, allowing roots to penetrate more deeply. Lastly - when you rake leaves? Consider running them through the lawnmower, bagging them as you go, and putting that into the garden too, THEN tilling the leave mulch into the garden. Tree leaves are great. I never rake, I always just mulch the leaves directly into the lawn, or put them in the garden.

Answer 3

it sounds like you have already worked the soil, so now you just have to deal with the same problems as all gardeners... weeds...weeds....weeds.. are you planning on planting winter veggies?? there are a couple things you can do.. covering the ground is a good way to suffocate alot of the weeds.. you can use the plastic sheeting, but that is something that is not good for a garden that you are constantly working.. the other thing that i would suggest is laying a thick layer of newspaper down.. the weather will break it down and does not harm the soil.. its a natural and easy and beneficial way to have some weed control.. (any compost pile is suggested to have some newspaper in it) even if you do plant some winter veggies you could add this around your plants.. i also do something that is not so natural. if the weeds come out the sides, i will use some weed killer when they are small..

Answer 4

If you want an organic approach cover over all the weeds now and block out all their light source...old carpet, black sheeting. That way the weeds die off underneath and they are easy to remove come spring.

Try growing some manure plants over the winter that add nutrients back into the soil. Also leeks and garlic can all go in now.

Answer 5

Lots of garden shops like K-mart or will test your dirt for free, just take them a good clean composit sample, then you might know better what to do. I like to put my leaves into the garden and when I do I till them under a little, by spring they will have rotted away, but you have added compost to your garden, I do this every year.