Getting Started with a Fall Garden

Unlike other parts of the country, Central Texas has a wonderful fall climate for growing a diversity of vegetables. However, as they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will your garden be.  Start small but plan ahead.  A compost bin and a 4′ x 8′ bed will produce plenty of food for your family to enjoy and share. You can then add on from there.  Here’s one simple design – try it! If you like it, tell your neighbors.

Location Selection

Thoroughly weed out (roots and all) an 8ft by 12ft area that:

• receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight,
• has water nearby,
• ideally is in an area that you would naturally glance at daily,
• is easy access to bring kitchen food scraps to.

Your new 4′ x 8′ garden bed will be centered in this cleared area with a two foot mulched path protecting your vegetables from your lawn. Although soils can be amended and fertility improved, this takes time.  Capture any good topsoil from the path and use it to grow food, compost can be purchased at a local nursery and added to existing soil to build up the organic matter. A raised bed filled with high quality soil can be built on areas with poor soil. Create your own…

Work towards Sustainability

The more sustainable methods you learn to use; the more affordable in time & money your garden will be.

Continue to improve knowledge on seed saving, composting, mulching, efficient watering techniques, intercropping and succession planting by attending Grow Local workshops, joining Austin Organic Gardeners, listening to permaculture talks, getting to know a local farmer and participating in other food gardening education opportunities.