A Second Chance at Gardening

By mid-August, a lot of us have started to move on from the garden. The tomatoes are coming in faster than we can eat them, the zucchini plants have reached prehistoric proportions, and anything we enthusiastically planted back in May is either thriving, bolting, or looking a little worse for wear. So if you’re tempted to pull what’s finished, put away the gardening gloves, and call it a season, it’s understandable.

Here in Connecticut, August is actually a great time to give your vegetable garden a second act. There’s plenty of growing season left, and a whole group of vegetables would much rather grow during the cooler days ahead than battle July heat. The trick is choosing the right things.

Radishes are probably the easiest place to start, and many varieties are ready in about a month, which means you can plant them now and potentially squeeze in another round after that. They’re also great for kids because you don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving to see whether your efforts were worth it.

Leaf lettuce and arugula are other easy wins. Both grow quickly, and as temperatures begin to drop, they don’t have to battle the heat that can make lettuce bitter or cause greens to bolt.

Spinach is another good late-summer crop and can tolerate surprisingly chilly temperatures once fall arrives. Kale is even tougher. A little frost can actually improve kale’s flavor, so don’t assume the first cold night means everything in the vegetable garden is finished.

If you move quickly, you can also plant carrots, beets and turnips. Look for varieties with shorter “days to maturity” listed on the seed packet. Smaller carrots and root vegetables are perfectly good consolation prizes if Mother Nature decides to send us an early freeze.

Bok choy and other Asian greens are particularly good choices for this time of year. Many struggle during hot weather but thrive as the days get shorter and cooler. Peas are worth a shot, too, although they’re a bit more of a gamble. Choose a fast-growing variety, get them planted soon, and see what happens. Gardening has never come with a money-back guarantee.

And then there’s garlic, which plays by slightly different rules. Rather than planting it now for a fall harvest, you’ll want to put garlic in the ground later this fall, generally sometime in October or early November, once the weather has cooled but before the ground freezes solid. Plant individual cloves a few inches deep with the pointy end facing up, cover them with soil and add a good layer of mulch. They’ll establish roots before winter, go dormant during the coldest months, pop back up in spring and be ready to harvest next summer.

And if you didn’t plant a garden this year and think you’ve missed your chance, you haven’t. A few containers on a sunny patio, porch or even front steps can be plenty of space for lettuce, spinach, arugula, radishes and other quick-growing fall vegetables. You don’t need a big garden, a perfect plan or even much experience. Grab a couple of pots, a bag of soil and a few packets of seeds and see what happens. There’s still a surprising amount of growing season left in Connecticut, so don’t store those gardening gloves just yet.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Have a question? Email info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” For your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for general guidance only.

Skip the Spray With Natural Ways to Keep Your Yard Looking Great

If you’ve spent any time in the garden this spring, you’ve probably noticed that weeds seem to grow faster than just about everything else. One week your flower beds look tidy and under control, and the next they’re being overtaken by dandelions, crabgrass, and other unwelcome visitors.

With more homeowners looking to reduce their use of chemical herbicides around children, pets, pollinators, and vegetable gardens, many are searching for practical alternatives. The good news? You don’t need a shelf full of products to keep weeds under control. A few simple strategies can go a long way.

Start with mulch.

One of the most effective weed prevention tools is mulch. A two-to-three-inch layer of shredded bark, wood chips, straw, or leaf mulch helps block sunlight from reaching weed seeds, making it harder for them to germinate.

As an added bonus, organic mulch helps retain moisture during hot summer weather and gradually improves soil health as it breaks down. Just remember to keep mulch pulled back a few inches from plant stems, tree trunks, and your home’s siding.

Attack weeds while they’re young.

The easiest weed to remove is the one that’s barely had a chance to grow. Taking ten minutes each week to pull small weeds can save hours of work later in the season.

If you’re using a hoe or hand weeder, try working after a rainfall or watering session when the soil is soft. You’ll remove more of the root system and make the job much easier on yourself.

Put boiling water to work.

For weeds growing in cracks along driveways, sidewalks, and patios, boiling water can be surprisingly effective. A careful pour directly onto unwanted plants quickly damages the foliage and root system without introducing chemicals into the environment.

This method works best in hardscape areas where you’re not concerned about harming nearby plants. As always, use caution when handling boiling water.

Use vinegar strategically.

Household vinegar can help control young weeds by drying out their leaves, particularly on warm, sunny days. Some homeowners add a few drops of dish soap to help the mixture stick to plant surfaces.

Keep in mind that vinegar doesn’t discriminate. It can damage flowers, vegetables, and desirable plants just as easily as weeds, so careful application is important.

Let plants do some of the work.

Bare soil is an open invitation for weeds. Groundcovers such as creeping thyme, clover, sedum, or sweet woodruff can help fill empty spaces and crowd out unwanted growth naturally.

The less exposed soil you have, the fewer opportunities weeds have to establish themselves.

A little prevention goes a long way.

The secret to weed control is consistency. A few minutes of maintenance each week, combined with mulch, healthy plantings, and early intervention, can dramatically reduce the number of weeds you’ll face later in the season.

Your garden will look better, your workload will be lighter, and you’ll create a healthier outdoor environment for your family, pets, and the beneficial insects that help your landscape thrive.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Why Fall Might Just Be Your Garden’s Secret Weapon

Most people think of fall as the time to put the garden to bed - pull the weeds, store the tools, and dream about next spring. But seasoned gardeners know better: late summer and early fall can be the start of a whole new harvest season. With the right timing and a few simple steps, you can enjoy crisp, homegrown vegetables well into the cooler months - even past the first frost.

If your garden’s been looking a little neglected, this is your second chance to make it thrive. Here’s how to get started:

1. Know your frost dates

Your fall garden success hinges on timing. Cool-weather crops need to mature before daytime highs consistently dip into the low 50s. In our region, the first frost usually arrives in mid-October, which means you have roughly six weeks to get plants established. Mark that on your calendar and work backward to plan your planting schedule.

2. Give your plants a cozy cover

Even hardy vegetables appreciate a little shelter. Cold frames are a gardener’s best friend in the fall -  they trap heat, block wind, and extend your harvest. You can buy one at a garden center, build your own with plywood and plastic sheeting, or repurpose materials you already have. For small garden beds, a hinged plexiglass lid works wonders; for bigger spaces, opt for heavy-duty plastic stretched over a simple frame.

3. Invest in your soil’s future

If you’re not planning to harvest this fall, plant a cover crop instead. Cover crops boost soil health, prevent erosion, suppress weeds, and can even feed your soil with nitrogen. Edible options include peas and beans, while clover, rye, buckwheat, and sorghum are excellent for pure soil enrichment.

What to plant now

Fall is prime time for cool-weather champions. Leafy greens like chard, kale, lettuce, and spinach love the chill. Broccoli, beets, carrots, and radishes can handle a bit of frost, while root vegetables like fennel, parsnips, turnips, and Brussels sprouts practically thrive in it. And if you want a sweet treat for later, rhubarb might just become your new favorite fall project.

Even if you decide not to plant this year, keep this guide handy. Come next season, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running and planting for an early, delicious harvest.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visithttp://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.