Fall Garden Guide

By Diana Elizabeth Steffen

I can feel autumn in the air. Yes, this means the temperature has been around 100 degrees in Phoenix! Although some of the country may be getting ready for the chilly weather and snow in the months ahead, the rest of us further down south, including Southern California, Phoenix, Texas, and Florida, are ready for some lovely fall days and mild winter weather. 

Because we have a mild winter, we have two growing seasons, or rather, planting seasons: fall and spring. We have summer off because nothing can survive here, so we cover our plants, water them well, and pray for the best. Now, we are uncovering them and seeing new growth, and it’s time to get planting!

Whether you are a seasoned gardener or aspiring to be one, let’s talk about what I’m planting and growing and review some fall planting tips! Grab a trowel or a shovel, and let's get digging! 

There are two goals I have for fall planting:

1. Replace what has died
2. Prep and plant for the season ahead (in this case, we are preparing for spring)

My favorite plants to purchase in the fall:

• Geraniums—Usually purchased in October, we call this Geranium season in Phoenix. These flowers, with lots of greenery, come in red, white, and pink. They are easy and fun to prune. Just snap the spent bloom back to the base of the stem. Doing this promotes growth and more blooms. These will last through summer until they die back. Remember to plant your geraniums in the sun for gorgeous blooms. I planted some in the shade one year, and their blooms were less than impressive.
• I buy Snapdragons for the immediate gratification of blooms and color and also to seed so they pop back up after winter.Sweet alyssums—these are ground covers with great, low-profile white or purple flowers. You can buy a few, and they will spread fast and die back in the summer.
• Ranunculus corms—plant the bulbs around November when it’s a little cooler and they will pop out in early spring! You can leave the bulbs in the ground for reblooms.
• Roses—Fall is a great time of the year for planting roses. They will go dormant in a few months and look dead, but don’t worry—they will awaken in February and March. 

I like to fill my planters with seasonal flowers and I like using pink, white, yellow, and purple as my color palette.

My favorite vegetables to purchase in the fall:

• Tomatoes—Get the bigger mature plants to enjoy tomatoes before winter hits, and they go dormant or die. 
• Herbs—also an excellent time to plant lettuce if you like that since they like cooler weather
• Peppers 

Don’t forget the fresh mulch for your plants!

It’s all about timing before our cold winter comes, even in the desert, around January to February. I have chosen not to overwinter my tomatoes as they don’t do well in spring, instead, I plant a mature tomato plant right away when the last frost happens.

Final Words of Wisdom on Gardening (from me)

• Check on your garden every day (morning if you can) to see what has grown and what might need water, or to tackle pest problems before they worsen.
• Remember, even seasoned gardeners kill things—and sometimes, it's not really our fault. It can be bad luck, or the plant could be sick.
• Select a color palette for your garden and stick to it! Mine is white, purple, and pink, with touches of yellow.
• Remember, gardening is also a workout. Though the cost can be high (like $200 for plants?), you are spending a day in the sun, maybe listening to an audiobook or in your own thoughts, and exercising your body!
• In the fall, we plan and prepare our gardens for spring bloom. We are always preparing for the season ahead!

Diana Elizabeth Steffen is a Phoenix-based photographer and blogger at dianaelizabethblog.com, where she shares her home and garden projects with her camera in hand!