For gardeners, drought or near-drought conditions are a special challenge. What can you do when starting a new garden during a drought? How can you add plantings while saving water. Even better, no matter what the weather conditions, these ideas will ensure that your garden stays healthy for years to come.

Although some times of year might be better for planting, the time to start a garden is when you’re ready. The decision to forgo water-intensive features and thirsty planting will have a much greater long-term impact.

If you do wait until later in the year to remodel an existing garden, consider keeping what you have in place rather than tearing it out. This will help keep the ground covered, keep the dust down and keep the area more weed-free when you are able to seed or plant new plants.

Start With Your Soil

Try to create soil that’s as healthy as possible for your plants. The first step is understanding your native soil and what it needs. Your soil is a living thing, and it needs updating and ongoing care. Choosing organic fertilizers and using compost and compost teas will help keep your soil active with microbes.

Organic soil amendments also will improve soil conditions, but whether to use them or not will depend on the plants you’re adding. While some plants might welcome the boost, amendments might not work as well for others.

Lengthen Your Planting Schedule

Install your garden in stages over a couple of seasons or even years. Focus first on your top ornamental priorities for foundation plants, perennials and shrubs and trees. Choose what you feel is necessary to add now and what can wait until later in the year or even a year or two down the road.

In areas with warm-winter climates that get little to no summer rain, hold off planting trees until later in the year. Gardeners can also plant trees in late winter or early spring.

Choose The Right Plants

Native plants should be your first choice. These plants already are adapted to the local conditions, are usually very hardy and are able to handle local climate conditions, including a lack of summer rain. An added benefit is that they attract local wildlife. So many birds and butterflies are attracted to native-plant gardens.

Natives can be hard to find and are often in very small sizes. The smaller plants will take more time to grow to their final size, but their small size can be an advantage. A large native can have a hard time adjusting.

Also look for drought-tolerant plants that are well-adapted to your climate. They’ll often be marked as low-water-use plants, but check before you purchase. Some plants that look drought-tolerant may have higher water needs.

If you want to add a vegetable garden, consider varieties that don’t require as much water, such as herbs and vegetables that thrive in Mediterranean climates. Also prioritize bushy, lower-growing vegetables, such as bush beans and varieties that have been bred for lower-water use.

Plant Strategically

Group plants that share water requirements, an approach often called hydrozoning. Separate shade plants from sun plants; and higher-water plants, such as vegetable gardens, from lower-water plants.

Take the same approach with a vegetable garden. You also can plant vegetables closer together than typically recommended so they can share water and crowd out weeds.

Find A Lawn Substitute

One of the most water-saving things you can do in your yard is not add a lawn. Most lawns are true water guzzlers. It also makes sense to put limited water resources toward plants like existing trees and large shrubs, which are hard to replace.

For a lawn substitute, seed with a native grass blend. The grass can be mowed or not mowed, depending on the look desired. 

Fine-Tune Your Watering

Take the time to create a watering system that will deliver the most water to your plants and won’t be lost to evaporation, hard surfaces or unplanted areas. Drip irrigation systems are the best choice for most plants. These systems concentrate water at the roots of the plantings, so you’ll need to water less. Watering basins and mounds also direct water to the roots.

Very often, gardens are overwatered. Rather than just checking the soil’s surface, dig down and see if the soil is dry 2 to 3 inches beneath the surface before watering, especially if you have clay soil. If it’s not dry there, the water will just run off rather than sinking in.

Mornings and evenings are the best times to water plants, as less water is lost to evaporation. Also watch the weather conditions and shut down an automated watering system if rain is likely.

Mulch Generously and Weed Often

Adding a thick layer of organic mulch around your plants will help the soil retain moisture and help suppress weeds. Mulching is key. Do not remove all the fallen leaves, they help condition the soil. Replenish your mulch throughout the growing season to keep it fresh.

Don’t use gravel as a mulch, as it absorbs too much heat. The goal is to keep things cool. Plants low-water ground covers; they keep the soil cooler, provide organic matter for the surrounding soil, and also help suppress weeds.

Even with mulch, you’ll need to be diligent about weeding. One approach: Stroll through your garden with a digger and a bucket every day or so to pull out weeds when you see them, rather than waiting to do a marathon session. The bonus is that you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your garden.

Capture Water

Find ways to reuse water from both your yard and your home. Rain barrels are a classic approach to gathering water, so install one or more under downspouts. They’re readily available, and many are quite attractive.

Tip: Before you purchase or install a rain barrel, be sure to check local bylaws. 

A more advanced approach is to create swales, streambeds and rain gardens. These take some time to set up but can help you capture and use more water. They also will direct rainfall into your soil rather than out to the street, helping the underground water table. A variation on this is underground cache areas, which some municipalities in drought-prone areas are requiring for landscape projects.

If you want to step up your use of captured water, check locally for sources that provide recycled water for your garden. These businesses are becoming more common in dry-summer locations.

Check out these outdoor projects the whole family can enjoy, ranging from easy projects like starting seeds or creating a mini fairy garden, to more involved ones such as turning a stock tank into a raised bed.

Grow An Herb Box

It’s not too late in the season to start a pot of kitchen and have kids help pick leaves to add to your favorite dishes. Young children can help with all steps of the process: scooping potting soil into an empty pot, patting down soil to settle it, spacing plant starts (with some help from an adult) and then watering them in. A few easy-to-grow herbs to consider are basil, parsley, thyme, tarragon, sage, oregano, and chives. All thrive with full sun and consistent water.

You could consider tucking a few ever-bearing strawberries, which generally produce spring, summer and fall crops, around the edges to give little ones a treat to discover later.

Start Seeds

There’s nothing quite like the magic of seeing little leaves pop up from the ground as if by magic. Big seeds — like those of squash, melons, peas and beans — are the easiest to handle and can be a good place to start for your youngest or most beginner gardeners. Now is a good time in most climates to sow seeds for pumpkins to have them ready by Halloween. You can begin to sow crops like snow peas and fava beans now in cool-summer climates. In other climates, wait until fall for these cool-season crops.

Make Handprint Stepping Stones

Creating stepping stones with family handprints or footprints can be a fun afternoon project, and it’s a way to make your garden feel more personal. It’s easiest to use a handprint stepping stone kit, but you can also make them without a kit using fast-setting concrete and a mold. Have children or any family member whose handprint you want to commemorate imprint their hands or feet and arrange any treasures they wish — like polished stones, marbles or shells — into the concrete. Adults can help sign the names of young children with a stick or wooden pencil. Once the concrete sets, find a spot to display them in your garden.

Pick Your Own

If there’s one garden “chore” that kids of any age can get behind, it’s harvesting — particularly if it’s something sweet like berries, tomatoes, sugar snap peas or tree fruits like cherries, peaches and plums. Picking fruit from your garden or a nearby pick-your-own farm makes for a fun family activity and is a good way to teach small ones where their favorite fruit come from.

For slightly older children, you can make harvesting from the garden a daily or weekly responsibility. Asking children to pick tomatoes for the family meal can give them a sense of accomplishment and lend you a hand.

Open a Bug Hotel

The concept is as simple as hanging a bird house, except bug hotels resemble collections of items such as hollow bamboo canes and seedpods that aim to mimic habitats like tree cavities that are increasingly rare in urban and suburban environments. The little holes and bug-size crevices are designed to attract insects, such as solitary native bees, that look for such spaces to rest for the night.

You can purchase kits for DIY bug hotels or build your own. Just be sure to include some type of roof or cover to keep the gathered materials dry. Family members of all ages can help collect materials to use, such as dried seedpods, twigs, small pine cones and bark. Older kids and teens can help with building the frame for the hotel. Everyone can learn or be reminded of the vital role beneficial insects play in ecosystems and the challenges they face.

Create A Fairy Garden

Little kids, teens or really anyone with a whimsical side may enjoy creating a miniature fairy garden in a pot. Start with an empty vessel of your choosing and fill it with potting soil. Then have children choose small plants at the nursery, such as succulents, creeping wire vine or mossy-looking ground covers like baby’s tears or woolly thyme. Use indoor plants if you’d like to keep the garden inside.

Encourage children to arrange a scene from their imagination on the surface of smooth potting soil, tucking in plants as they go. Fine gravel can become fairy pathways or streams, rocks can be seats or stepping stones. You can purchase or make, if you’re feeling extra crafty accents such as miniature houses, benches, gates, animal or fairy figurines and toadstools. 

Plant Up Recycled And Repurposed Containers

You can repurpose almost any vessel as a container for plants, and kids can have fun scouting for unused vessels around the house or yard to repurpose into planters. Some vessels to consider: old teapots and cups, small wooden boxes, old hiking boots, helmets, urns and more.

For containers that don’t have drainage holes, either plan on drilling a few at the bottom or keeping plants in their plastic nursery pots set inside the vessel. Or, if you decide to plant directly in the vessel without drainage holes, be sure to water plants very lightly, as excess water will have nowhere to go.

Propagate Succulents

Succulents are a great place to start with plant propagation, as most of them root easily from cuttings or offshoots. Kids can help with all steps of the process, from splitting off baby succulent “pups” from rosette-forming types, to laying them out on a gravel bed or a paper plate to harden or potting up the new little succulent plants once rooted. Teens can own the whole process and, if they’re hooked, quickly multiply your succulent collection or create one of their own.

Turn A Stock Tank Into A Raised Planter

Turning a galvanized-metal livestock tank into a planter is easier than building a raised bed — and it’s a pretty stylish container too. Choose a stock tank based on how much space you have, what you’d like to grow and how much you’d like to spend.

Stock tanks range from $30 for a small, shallow one that could be used to grow herbs, succulents or strawberries to $300 and up for a large model where you could grow anything from tomatoes to dwarf fruit trees. They will all need drainage holes drilled at the bottom and enough potting soil to fill them to the brim before planting.

Plant A Living Wall

While professional living wall systems are fairly complicated projects best left to professionals, simpler models that use felt planting pockets are no more effort than planting a container and mounting it to the wall. Young kids will need help along the way with this project, but teens could do it nearly start to finish on their own but may need help attaching it to the wall.

Living walls made from kits generally look best with plenty of billowing and trailing plants that, once they fill in, can help cover the felt pockets holding the soil. A few to consider for hanging gardens that receive four to six hours of sun: bacopa, trailing fuchsia, sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas), lobelia and nasturtium. For shadier gardens, check out ajuga, variegated ivy, campanula, heuchera and ferns.

Remember that living walls, particularly those in sun, dry out very quickly; stay on top of the watering or set up a drip irrigation system.

It’s time to get out into the garden, take a look at your garden and decide ir there are any improvements you want to make. These can be as simple as adding new touches to existing spaces or as involved as building a new outdoor kitchen.

Here are some ideas for refreshing your yard and garden for outdoor living.

Update Your Furnishings

Evaluate the outdoor furniture you have. It sets the tone for your outdoor space, so it may be time to replace furnishings that are worn or perhaps upgrade to a new look. Conversely, if you have no outdoor furniture yet, it’s a good time to start planning for the upcoming spring, summer and fall months.

Spring is a great time for discovering fresh looks. You’ll also have a larger selection to choose from during the start of the outdoor season. 

If you like your current furniture, it might be time to add some finishing touches. New cushions and pillows will revive older chairs, sofas and benches. A new umbrella or shade cloth can turn a too-hot patio or deck into an all-day retreat. Small side tables placed by outdoor chairs and sofas provide a good spot for drinks and snacks.

Other possibilities? A chaise lounge or two provides a spot for napping or relaxing. An outdoor rug will ground a seating area. A setup for serving and a bar cart make outdoor entertaining easier.

Start a Plant Nursery

Give seedlings a head start before setting them out in the garden. A small area where you can group plants and provide protection if nighttime temperatures turn frosty can help smaller plants establish themselves before transplanting. You may want to add cloches that will cover several plants, especially taller ones, or look for covers that will fit over pots without actually touching the plants themselves.

Having a hose nearby will make watering them easier — plants in pots dry out far faster than those in the ground, and you want to encourage growth. A potting bench or similar setup is handy for transplanting to larger containers.

Create a Vegetable Garden

Jump-start healthier eating by adding a dedicated vegetable garden. Summer is the height of edible gardening season. Be sure to start your seeds or seedlings soon to enjoy delicious fresh produce from your own yard next season.

Add Built-In Seating

Built-in seating adds a finishing touch to a patio or deck. It anchors the space and provides more seating for when family and friends gather.

Permanent seating allows you to customize it to an exact fit. You can also add features such as a planter or lighting above or below to highlight the space.

A bench can also do double duty as storage for everything from extra pillows and cushions to yard toys, gardening tools and grilling supplies.

Spruce Up Your Storage

Whether your garden is your retreat, your hobby or your play space, you’re bound to have tools, supplies or equipment you want to tuck away from time to time. Adding an off-the-shelf shed is one solution, but why not turn your storage spot into an attractive garden feature? 

Turn a basic shed into something more interesting with plants. Adding small garden beds on either side of the entrance or installing a window box will add color and greenery. Pair either choice with a garden path, steppingstones or a small landing, and the utilitarian shed becomes a destination. You can even add color to the shed itself, whether via a new paint job or some colorful decorations.

For a shed that’s even more integrated with your space, consider a custom-built design that plays off the design style of the rest of the landscape.

Just Add Water

 A water feature is a welcome addition to even the smallest yard. Water instantly creates a sense of peace and tranquility. A fountain, garden pool or pond attracts birds and other wildlife, and can cool the air around it on a hot day.

Water features are available in an array of styles. Choose one that goes with the rest of your outdoor style. 

If you’re looking for a peaceful reflecting pool, all you need to do is add water. If you want a fountain, you’ll also have to install a pump and an energy source, which is generally electric or solar. You might also want to add lights for a nighttime reflections.

Beautiful as they are, water features require some considerations. Even a shallow pool can pose a danger to small children and pets. You might also need to look into ways to mitigate the presence of bugs, such as mosquitoes.

Play With Fire

 If your family likes to gather around an open fire, make a fire feature a permanent part of your landscape. A fire pit is more low-profile and also can be used as a grill. A fireplace makes a statement in the landscape. Both also can be adapted with grills and ovens.

Like water features, fire features run a gamut of styles to fit beautifully into most outdoor spaces. Traditional finishes include stone, brick and stucco, while metal and concrete add a more modern vibe.

 Your choices for fuel are wood, gas or ethanol. Wood is a classic and easy option that doesn’t require additional gas lines or a special installation. It also gives you the classic campfire or fireplace flames. It can be a drawback, though, when our “no fire” regulations kick in during summer.

For gas, you can use propane tanks, although for a permanent installation, having a plumber connect the fire feature into your gas line will be less obtrusive and less costly to use in the long run. In the short term, though, the installation will affect the surrounding hardscape and landscape as trenches are dug for the line.

Ethanol, which produces true flames, is gaining in popularity as a fire source. It does not burn as hot as other heat sources, so it’s a good choice for hotter days. It’s also a clean-burning source for true flames. You’ll want a professional to install the firebox and set it up.

Take the Plunge

 Looking for a refreshing place where you can take a dip on a hot summer’s day, but don’t have the room? Want a spot for relaxing in the water without a pool’s upkeep? Add a spa, hot tub or plunge pool.

A classic wood hottub — which also can be left unheated and used as a cool spot for chilling out — or a spa tub can be set in its own private zone or incorporated into a deck or patio. You can even lower it to ground or deck level for easy access. Add heat, some lights and a nearby hangout area for maximum enjoyment.

Plunge pools are the babies of in-ground pools. They’re smaller, ranging from slightly larger than a decorative pool or pond to large enough for someone to swim a few strokes in. They’re generally not as deep as standard pools.

As with any water feature, safety is paramount, especially for children. You’ll also need to check local regulations for requirements and restrictions.

Encourage Gatherings

If outdoor entertaining is a favorite activity, it may be time to expand your gathering spot. Building a new patio or deck, or increasing the size and functionality of existing features, will give you even more reasons to go outside to enjoy — and show off — your yard.

 In either case, evaluate your setup and how you want to use it. You might want more room for relaxing, a dining table that can seat your extended family, a fire or water feature, or an outdoor kitchen. Calculate the amount of room you’ll need to accommodate the items on your wish list.

The next step is assessing location. Is your entertaining zone in the right spot? Do you want easy access from the house? Or do you want an area that’s farther away, possibly taking advantage of a view, serving as a buffer from neighbors or a street, or creating a destination within your yard?

Patio flooring options can range from gravel and pavers to stone, tile and brick. Wood is the classic deck material, but don’t overlook some of the lower-maintenance possibilities that can give you the look you want. 

Install an Outdoor Kitchen

If cooking or barbecuing is a favorite pastime, then it may be time to splurge on an outdoor kitchen. Your ideal space might be as simple as a long serving counter that houses a grill and maybe some shelves and a dining table nearby. Add outdoor-friendly countertops and finishes, and you’ll be set for the summer.

You needn’t stop there. The options for an outdoor kitchen equal, or surpass, those for an indoor one. A smoker or pizza oven provides more ways to cook, a refrigerator keeps cold drinks handy, and a sink is an added convenience. Lights, an overhead roof for rainy days and amenities such as a bar setup can keep you cooking outside for a good portion of the year.

We all want our entries and front yards to feel welcoming this fall and winter. Getting a new doormat, investing in outdoor lighting or porch furnishings and tending the garden can help boost curb appeal for the holiday season and beyond.

Improve Your Outdoor Lighting

When it gets darker earlier in the evening, a well-lit porch can make a big difference in boosting your mood and your home’s curb appeal. In updating your exterior lighting, think about including multiple light sources: wall sconces and pendant lights or recessed ceiling lights. Choose bold fixture designs that look good — even when unlit — and match your home’s architecture.

Get a Fresh Doormat

Keep your entry looking polished — and clean — with a new doormat for the fall and winter season. If you already have a decorative doormat or outdoor rug next to your front door, don’t hesitate to layer a heavy-duty mat on top to catch moisture, dirt and outdoor debris.

Set a Bench by the Entry

A seat by the front door makes a home look more inviting and can be a useful spot for pulling on boots or setting down a grocery bag while you rummage for keys. If your porch isn’t large enough for a bench, try placing one along the way to the home’s entrance.

Add a Bright Seasonal Accent

Don’t feel as if you need to go all-out on porch decor to get a fall lift. With just one element or two — such as a bright pumpkin on the porch or a wreath on the door — you can get a boost of color and seasonal cheer. If you’re tight on time, look for colorful elements that can bridge fall and winter.

Upgrade Your Porch Furniture

Classic Adirondack chairs, rockers, lounge chairs or a porch swing add a welcoming look to the front porch and inspire getting outside to enjoy the crisp fall air. Choose one based on comfort, style and the available space you have on your porch or front stoop.

Add a Few Long-Lasting Potted Plants

Potted plants can provide welcome color and texture to the fall and winter porch. If you’re looking for a long-lasting, low-maintenance potted plant option, a word of advice: Choose evergreens. Boxwood, dwarf conifers, privet and culinary bay all make excellent choices for potted doorstep plants that will look great for fall and winter.

Spread Fresh Gravel

Gravel on walkways, patios and driveways shifts and sinks over time. Fall is a perfect time to top off gravel to refresh outdoor spaces and keep down mud before winter. Choose the same rock type and grade, particle size, as the existing gravel and top with a 1- to 3-inch layer, filling in low spots as necessary. Rake to smooth.

If you’re installing a new gravel path, driveway or patio this fall, consulting with a pro can help ensure that the surface meets your needs. Gravel, if properly installed, can support the wheels of cars, walkers, wheelbarrows and more.

Mulch Beds

Covering bare dirt with mulch can take an end-of-season garden bed from looking tired to tidy in the span of an afternoon. Select a mulch that matches the style of your garden. There are several types to choose from, including natural bark, wood chips, straw or gravel.

Aim to add 2 to 3 inches of mulch over beds, keeping it away from the trunks of trees and large shrubs. Mulch can suppress weed growth, insulate shallow roots from freeze damage, hide soaker hose and irrigation lines, and prevent water loss from evaporation.

Add a Decorative Door Knocker

The subtle gleam of a new brass door knocker against a dark front door can be a subtle and effective front entry upgrade. Choose a classic shape or go for one — like a brass pine cone, seashell, sailboat or eagle — that gives your home a little extra personality.

Refresh Window Boxes

Window boxes packed with seasonal plantings or strung with lights can boost curb appeal. In mild climates use white cyclamens, ornamental peppers, pansies and trailing variegated ivy. In cold-winter regions, keep the cold-hardy ivy in place as temperatures drop and swap the tender peppers, cyclamens and pansies for a few hardy dwarf conifers or cut conifer branches.

You’ve picked every pepper and harvested the last basket of tomatoes from your summer garden. Now what?

Your end-of-season care plays a big role in whether or not your edible garden will continue to perform well in the future. This guide to post-harvest garden care — including how to restock soil nutrients, when to mulch, which plants not to compost and more — will help set up your edible garden for success for years to come.

Finish the Harvest

When you’re ready to finish up your summer garden, pick all remaining fruit, veggies and edible leaves. Many fruits, such as tomatoes, will continue to ripen once they’ve been picked. Have an end-of-summer feast and make plans to preserve, freeze or give away excess produce.

Dry herbs like thyme, basil, lavender and rosemary to use in winter. To harvest and save the seeds of beans and squash, allow the fruits to fully ripen and dry on the vine before picking. Store the seeds in a labeled jar or envelope in a cool, low-moisture space.

Remove Summer Edibles, Diseased Plants and Weeds

Strip plants of any remaining fruits and seeds and remove them from garden beds. You can add the plants to your compost, if you have one, or toss them in the green wastebin. Remove and discard any plants that show signs of disease. Plants covered in powdery mildew, which often shows up as dusty white spots on leaves, should be added to the garbage or yard-waste bin — not the compost pile.

Once soil is exposed, use your hands or a garden hoe to remove weeds that have been hiding under summer plants. Weeds that have not yet formed seeds can be composted; those that have set seed should be thrown away.

Empty and Clean Pots

After harvesting all remaining fruit or edible leaves, remove tired or dying summer herbs and vegetable plants from containers.

If the plants show no signs of disease, you can empty the containers’ soil onto the compost pile or onto garden beds. Spread out the soil with a rake and remove any root balls by hand.

Clean pots with a brush and a solution of vinegar and soapy water. Store them upside down in a sheltered area until next spring or fill them with fresh potting soil for new cool season plants.

Replenish Soil Nutrients

Good soil is the secret to having a successful and productive edible garden year after year. The herbs and vegetables you grew this summer have spent months taking up soil nutrients to fuel their growth and fruit production. If you plant the same crops in the same soil next year without adding nutrients back to the soil, the plants won’t grow as tall or produce as many fruits and veggies. But if you take care of the soil and replenish its nutrients, you can maintain a healthy edible garden season after season.

Soil amendments and cover crops are the two most common ways to return nutrients and organic material back to the soil.

Soil amendments. If you have a supply of homemade compost, now’s the time to put it to use. Otherwise, you can pick up bagged compost at your local nursery. You can also find organic fertilizers designed to replenish nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium for specific crops. Spread a thick layer of compost over the top layer of soil. Add other amendments as needed according to package instructions.

If your soil felt heavy when pulling out plants, it may also benefit from even more organic material, such as compost, straw or fully dried leaves.

After adding compost, soil amendments and any other organic material, turn over with a shovel, working everything into the soil.

If you live in a mild-winter region, you may choose to replant beds at this point with cool season crops, such as peas, carrots and cabbage. In cold-winter areas, you may just want the beds to rest until spring planting.

Cover Crops 

You can also return nutrients back to the soil with the help of cover crops. Among their many benefits, cover crops help improve soil texture, prevent erosion, suppress weeds and add important nutrients to the soil wherever they are planted.

A cover crop is not grown for harvesting. Its primary purpose is to replenish soil nutrients and organic material without the use of added fertilizers. Rye grass, oats, barley, clover and nitrogen-fixing legumes are commonly used as cover crops. Planting a cover crop will take a bed out of rotation for a season, but the soil will be healthier for the next round of planting.

Fava beans, are easy cover crops to try in a small garden. Plant a bed with favas, allow them to produce pods for harvest, if you want to eat them and then cut or mow the plants on the bed, allowing the fallen cuttings to stay on the surface of the soil as a “green manure.” Till the organic matter into the soil two to three weeks before spring planting to give them time to decompose and help improve the soil.

Mulch

If you’re not using a cover crop over winter, spread a layer of bark, straw or dried leaf mulch over the soil’s surface. The mulch will help suppress weed growth, keep the soil warm for any newly planted cool-season crops and maintain soil moisture.

Cut Back Vines, Brambles and Other Perennial Crops

Cut back thin or straggly vines, unwanted side shoots and larger vines on grapes, kiwis and other fruit vines.

For brambles, such as blackberries, boysenberries and raspberries, choose four to six of the healthiest, most vigorous canes to keep on each plant, cutting all others to the ground.

Thin strawberry beds by dividing plants and replanting them in rich, well-draining soil where there is room to spread out. As asparagus and artichokes start to naturally die back at the end of the season, cut back plants to about 6 inches above the ground.

Fertilize and Mulch Perennials

All of the edible perennials mentioned — grapes, brambles, strawberries, asparagus and artichokes — benefit from sprinkled organic fertilizer at the base of each plant and a layer of bark or straw mulch to protect them from cold winter temperatures.

Clean and Store Garden Tools and Supplies

Store trellises, tomato cages and other garden supplies in a garden shed or covered area over winter. Organize tools and give them an end-of-season cleanup.

Dip the metal parts of shovels, spades, hand trowels and pruning shears in a diluted bleach solution to prevent the spread of diseases, then wipe dry. Sharpen tool blades that need it. Condition both the metal and wooden parts of tools with a light coating of oil to prevent rust and to keep handles hydrated. Store tools in a garden shed, garage or covered area.

Plan for Next Year

Don’t forget to take time to make notes for next year’s edible garden. Ask yourself what your favorite varieties or most successful plants were. Were there any plants that did not thrive? Could your next edible garden benefit from more pollinator attracting plants? If so, plan on planting them around the edges. Jot down these garden notes now, so you’ll have a plan for success next spring.