The hot trend of spring is back, this time for fall. The trend? The home-based, back-to-the- land movement, where more and more people are starting a garden. Just as what happened in the spring, nurseries right now are seeing cool season vegetables and flowers flying off the shelves, especially for USDA Zones 7, 8 and 9. For those of you in colder climates, it might mean putting the backyard garden to bed and maybe doing some indoor gardening. 

But before you put that garden to bed, or if you are not planning on growing any cool season vegetables or flowers, give your garden soil a great big goodnight kiss, by growing a cover crop (such as the one pictured, raised beds that contain cover crops of fava beans, clover and oats) or covering your garden bed in fallen leaves, improving it for next spring. Soils expert Steve Zien tells you how.

Blueberry plants will soon start appearing in USDA Zone 9 nurseries, with more to follow as spring approaches next year. We’ve got tips on choosing, planting and pruning blueberries from one of the nation’s foremost blueberry plant growers, Dave Wilson Nursery and their blueberry experts, Tom Spellman and Phil Pursel.

Black widow spiders…what are they good for? Plenty, if you have a garden. Debbie Flower explains.

It’s Episode 48 of the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast, brought to you by Smartpots. And we will do it all in under 30 minutes. Let’s go!

Links:
Steve Zien's webinar, "Healthy Soil, Happy Landscape"
Peaceful Valley Farm Supply Cover Crop Seed Selections
Peaceful Valley Farm Supply Cover Crop Solutions Chart
Dave Wilson Nursery's How to Grow Blueberries in Containers
Dave Wilson Nursery's Blueberry Varieties
Farmer Fred Rant: Blueberries Are Part of a Heart-Healthy Garden
UC IPM information on Black Widow Spiders

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