As temperatures shift from scorching scorching to only scorching, transitioning from summer season to fall is likely one of the most necessary backyard resets of the yr, particularly in scorching climates just like the low desert. On this submit, I’ll stroll by means of how I’m evaluating what to maintain, what to exchange, and the way I’m getting ready the soil, beds, and containers for a recent begin this fall.
Key Takeaways
Transitioning from summer season to fall includes evaluating the backyard’s efficiency and getting ready for brand new crops.
Determine profitable crops and people who struggled, and maintain information so you may make crucial changes.
Open up the backyard gentle by eradicating tall crops and managing shading for fall crops.
Put together beds with cowl crops and refresh worm bins for wholesome soil.
Water much less typically as temperatures cool, however nonetheless water beds deeply.
Step 1: Consider how your backyard did over the summer season
Each season teaches us one thing. Right here’s how just a few of my crops carried out this summer season—and what I realized.
Do the identical form of assessment in your backyard to identify each wins and misses. When you have my Low Desert Backyard Planner & Journal, use the journal pages to document notes so you possibly can study from every season.
The sweet-spot mattress: Morning solar and afternoon shade made this mattress a standout. Okra is prospering, gomphrena is comfortable, and I’ve been chopping again cowpeas to make use of as inexperienced manure.
Maximilian sunflowers: Planted from seed two years in the past. They struggled at first however got here again sturdy—lastly blooming this yr.
Candy potatoes: I’m letting the vines develop; extra vines imply extra tubers. I’ll harvest every week or two earlier than Thanksgiving so that they have time to treatment.
Marigolds + Armenian cucumber (trellis): A cooler summer season helped the marigolds maintain on, together with zinnias like Ballerina, Zowie Yellow Flame, and Zahara (nice in containers or beds).
Watermelon (aphids + ants): Aphids had been an issue till I put out ant baits. That dealt with the ants, and the aphids adopted. These are the ant baits I take advantage of on Amazon.
Peppers (together with chiltepin): Chiltepin, a local pepper, is loaded with blooms and going sturdy after a number of years. Different peppers are setting fruit. Don’t prune them now otherwise you’ll delay the harvest.
Cantaloupe and gomphrena: Each are nonetheless going sturdy—warmth lovers that don’t want a lot assist.
Texas ageratum (Gregg’s mistflower): Planted in Might (which is hard), nevertheless it’s thriving and attracting queen butterflies. I would like extra crops like this that may deal with the warmth.
Container flowers: Vinca, angelonia, gomphrena, candy potato vine, and lisianthus are nonetheless blooming. I’ll maintain them going till frost or till I swap them out in October/November. Somewhat flower meals and worm castings helps. For fast fall colour, plant geraniums or dianthus.
Peanuts: They love the warmth. The tomatillos behind them didn’t. I’ll harvest the peanuts as soon as the leaves begin to yellow—normally 4–5 months after planting.
Step 2: Be aware what struggled
Some crops didn’t love the summer season—however that’s a part of studying too. Right here’s what wants assist and the way I’m dealing with it:
Roses: Somewhat burdened however nonetheless going. I’m including worm castings and a lightweight dose of Nutrient+ now. As soon as nights drop into the 70s, I’ll fertilize and provides them a lightweight shape-up.
Shasta daisies: Just a few rotted, however some seem like they’ll recuperate. I’m ready for recent progress earlier than chopping something again.
Peppers within the elevated mattress: Not comfortable. Soil temps had been too excessive. Basil didn’t thoughts it, however the peppers undoubtedly did.
Step 3: Open the sunshine for fall
I’m eradicating the tall sunflowers that shaded the backyard all summer season to open gentle for fall crops. I reduce on the base, let the stumps decompose, after which they pull out simply. I’ll maintain shade material up till daytime highs are persistently beneath 90°F.
Step 4: Prep beds (cowl crops, worm bins, and timing)
Cowl crops A number of beds are in black-eyed peas; I’m additionally attempting sunn hemp. For max nitrogen, I reduce legumes earlier than they flower, however I’m letting some go longer as a result of I would like extra seed for subsequent yr. I’m rising each for the inexperienced manure they add to the beds. Letting them develop is the most cost effective means so as to add nitrogen—develop your individual fertilizer.
Refresh worm binsFall is a superb time to refresh worm bins. I’m harvesting recent castings (sift to separate), then including cardboard, meals scraps, and topping with wooden chips. The worms will transfer again up and make extra castings.
Two weeks earlier than planting I’ll pull again mulch, reduce cowl crops on the base, chop and drop into the highest few inches, then prime with compost.
Filling a brand new mattress?Use compost + worm castings + vermiculite or perlite + coco coir. I take advantage of the Raised Mattress & Container Combine from Arizona Worm Farm. It makes use of their compost and worm castings, and my beds find it irresistible.
What’s subsequent month: I’ll plant cool-season crops and flowers: brassicas, snapdragons, campanula, and delphinium.
Step 5: Shift watering for fall (however maintain it deep)
As days get shorter and cooler, I water much less typically however nonetheless water deeply.Examine your system: I run Backyard Grids from Backyard In Minutes in all my beds. The primary one went into my asparagus mattress in June 2019, and it’s nonetheless going sturdy. The asparagus seems wild now, however these fronds are feeding the roots. They’ll yellow and go dormant because it cools; then we’ll reduce them again.
Salt word: occasional deep leaching helps, particularly round container edges and the surface edges of beds.
Step 6: Tomatoes & peppers (fast fall care)
TomatoesFall tomatoes ought to already be in. If not, get transplants into your sunniest spot ASAP.For oversummered tomatoes, it’s best to see recent progress now. Prune evenly a bit at a time if wanted to see how they tolerate it, refresh mulch, and allow them to maintain going.
PeppersDo not in the reduction of now otherwise you’ll delay harvest. Hold even moisture with deep soaks. Should you’re nonetheless scorching, give a bit afternoon shade. Stake heavy branches; take away solely lifeless wooden.
Step 7: Feed to complete sturdy
I’m feeding tomatoes, peppers, watermelon, and the container roselle and flowers with AgroThrive and a little bit of Nutrient+. This speeds restoration from summer season stress and helps new transplants settle in. I would like harvests from all of those crops, and this feeding helps get them there.
Step 8: Plant with me: i’itoi onions
Tomatoes are planted. I’ll add extra companions to this mattress later. For now, I’m planting i’itoi onions. Lengthy historical past within the Sonoran Desert. They’re a multiplying onion. Plant about 1 inch deep, 4 bulbs per sq..
Want the remainder of this month’s plantings and duties in a single place? Seize the Backyard Planner. It consists of planting dates, step-by-step to-dos, watering pointers, a planning grid, and notes pages to trace progress.
Step 9: Clear up (with restraint)
There are some lifeless crops and branches across the backyard, however I’m not able to prune every thing again. Broken areas can defend the remainder of the plant, and we should still have scorching days coming. I’m eradicating what’s really lifeless to scale back pests, and I’m leaving some lifeless stems as non permanent shade till daytime highs drop.
Wanting forward
As temps cool, I’ll in the reduction of the quilt crops about two weeks earlier than I plant cool-season crops, add compost, after which it’s time to flip the beds.
FAQ About Transitioning Your Backyard from Summer time to Fall
When daytime highs are persistently beneath 90°F. Till then, maintain some afternoon safety for tender crops.
Minimize on the base, let the stumps dry/decompose, then pull—they arrive out a lot simpler and also you defend soil construction.
Black-eyed peas and sunn hemp. For max nitrogen, reduce earlier than flowering. About two weeks earlier than planting, reduce on the base, chop-and-drop, add compost, then mulch and plant.
Compost + worm castings + vermiculite or perlite + coco coir. I take advantage of the Raised Mattress & Container Combine from Arizona Worm Farm (celebrating 5 years with them this fall).
Water much less typically as temps drop however maintain deep soaks. Do a fast emitter test. Often leach salts, particularly round container and mattress edges.
Should you see ants farming aphids, set ant baits. When ants cease tending them, helpful bugs typically handle aphids. Observe with a deep rinse and maintain crops rising. These are the ant baits I take advantage of on Amazon.
No laborious pruning now you’ll delay harvest. Hold moisture even, give a bit PM shade till we’re beneath 90°F, stake heavy branches, and take away solely lifeless wooden.
Search for recent progress. Take away solely lifeless/sunburned leaves, refresh mulch, and allow them to run. No laborious pruning this late.
About 1–2 weeks earlier than Thanksgiving for my timing. Remedy them in a heat, ethereal spot so that they sweeten up earlier than the desk.
When leaves yellow—normally 4–5 months after planting. Pull one plant to test crammed kernels earlier than harvesting the remaining.
About 1 inch deep, 4 bulbs per sq. (Sq. Foot), water in, then a lightweight mulch.
No—clear out what’s really lifeless, however go away some lifeless stems on heat-stressed crops for non permanent micro-shade/construction till highs drop.
