Who doesn't love a good old fashioned country fair? Great food, fun rides, adorable animals and prize winning vegetables. This weekend we went to the Hunterdon County 4-H Fair in Ringos, NJ and had a great time. I left the fair, once again determined that next year will be the year I finally raise chickens! Having been a 4-H kid myself, I enjoy seeing them show off their livestock, sewing skills and baked goods and of course as a gardener I am always amazed by the gorgeous selection of vegetables.
If you still want to try your hand at growing a crop this season, it's not too late to start. Fall is the perfect time to plant a second crop of cool season vegetables like spinach, beets, carrots, peas and lettuce. Garlic, like ornamental bulbs, should be planted around Columbus Day, October, in order to harvest next spring. Late season growers are offered the advantage of cooler working temperatures and lower water requirements.
The first consideration in designing a vegetable garden is location. Here in the northeastern United States the site should have full sun for as much of the day as possible. Select a location that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight. Food production also requires a nutrient rich soil, so adequate preparation is important. Raised beds are the easiest way to ensure a rich and workable soil. Once completed, fill the beds with a loose organic mix of topsoil and compost, include peat moss or sand to improve drainage and supplement the soil annually with compost. It is easy to make you own by combining kitchen scraps and yard waste.
Follow these tips and you can have your own prize winning crops by winter. I'm afraid I'll have to wait until next spring for my chickens though!
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