When the weather quickly takes a turn and we say goodbye to the long sunny days of summer, it can be tempting to put the garden to bed and accept the growing season is over for another year. But, this doesn't have to be the case. Raised garden beds, for example, offer plenty of potential for fall. In fact, it can offer a transitional space in your yard, keeping your garden alive through to winter.
There are so many raised bed garden ideas, but many of them are focussed on spring and summer. However, maximizing the use of your raised bed in fall can allow you to keep your garden productive for longer and bring interest to the fall garden to enjoy.
Whether you're looking for a low-maintenance option, like leaving seedheads for some structure, or want to be more ambitious and swap out summer blooms for fall flowers, there are plenty of fall raised garden bed ideas to choose from. Here, garden experts share their favorite ways to make used of raised beds in fall.
5 ways to use your raised garden beds in fall
Transitioning your raised beds from summer to fall should be high up on your fall gardening checklist to ensure you can make the most of this feature before frosty winter temperatures arrive. If you're feeling unsure with where to start, consider one of these beautiful fall raised garden bed ideas:
1. Grow cool-weather crops
Just because the temperatures have dropped, it doesn't mean you can't still get a bumper harvest. In fact, there are plenty of vegetables to plant in September to get a fall and winter harvest.
'You can keep growing in your raised beds in the fall,' says Lindsay Chastain, experienced homesteader and founder at The Waddle and Cluck.
'The soil in a raised bed will warm faster than in the ground. So, you can plant your cool-weather crops and use row covers or cold frames until the end of the season,' she explains.
Cold frames and row covers (like these from Amazon) will help provide sufficient warmth for your crops and protect them from winter garden pests. But, it is important to choose cool-weather crops that can cope with the conditions of fall, otherwise you won't end up with a harvest.
For example, try planting radishes (with radish seeds from Burpee), or grow kale (with kale seeds from Burpee).
2. Plant bulbs ready for spring
Fall is the optimal time to plant spring bulbs, getting them in soil before the frostiest weather arrives. A fall raised garden bed is the perfect spot to get planting, setting it up for a fabulous spring display.
'Fall is the prime time for planting bulbs like hyacinths, tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and muscari. They need a cold rest period, also known as cold stratification, to establish roots and bloom fully in spring,' explains Nastya Vasylchyshyna, botany expert at Plantum.
'This is where raised beds prove useful, as they offer higher-quality and better-draining soil compared to regular garden plots,' she adds.
To enhance your spring display, try creating a bulb lasagne. This will provide you with successional blooming through the spring months.
Just make sure to avoid bulb planting mistakes that may hinder their ability to bloom. Tools like this bulb planter (from Amazon) can help, with a depth marker to ensure you're planting deep enough into your raised bed.
You can get your spring bulb order in now, just take a look at the spring bulbs available at Burpee.
3. Leave seedheads for structural interest
I created a cut flower patch in my raised garden bed this spring and summer, and I'm already seeing some seedheads appear. I'm holding back on removing them, rather allowing them to stick around for some architectural plant interest.
Not only do the best plants for seedheads provide some stunning shapes and silhouettes in the fall and winter garden, they're also a valuable resource for feeding birds in winter.
Plus, allowing seedheads to dry out entirely and turn brown will later provide you with a source to collect seeds and save them for planting in spring.
Later on, you can also collect seedheads for dried floral arrangements. Just use sharp scissors or pruners (from Amazon) to carefully cut stems.
4. Plant fall blooms for a splash of color
There are plenty of fall blooms that can offer a magnificent display in the cooler months. Consider clearing your raised garden bed of fading summer flowers and replace them with those guaranteed to provide blooms through the next few months.
From the best fall-flowering bulbs to the best perennials to plant in fall, there are lots of blooms to have on display in your raised garden bed this season.
'If you want to enjoy vibrant fall colors in your raised garden beds, consider planting pansies, violas, marigolds, and snapdragons,' Nastya suggests.
Growing violas is a good option, as these cool-weather plants and reliable fall bloomers. Likewise, winter pansies will infuse color into your raised garden beds right through winter, and even up to early-spring.
Find viola seeds for your yard at Burpee, which can be planted in late summer for a fall display. Or, plant out viola seedlings straight into your fall raised garden bed for a late-fall and winter display.
5. Create an in-situ compost pile
While spring is often the best time to start a compost heap, your fall raised garden bed also provides a suitable vessel.
'This method lets you dispose of organic waste while improving the soil quality,' explains Nastya.
It works much the same as lazy composting and layering rather than turning composting. You essentially pile up organic waste to breakdown into usable compost.
'Start by layering the soil surface with quickly decomposing materials such as vegetable and fruit scraps, chopped banana peels, and coffee grounds,' Nastya advises. Don't forget to also add in your brown materials (like paper and woody stems) required for making compost.
'Spread these materials evenly, then scatter a thin layer of well-rotted garden compost or manure on top. To speed up the composting process, introduce a handful of composting worms (which you can purchase from Amazon) to your raised bed,' she continues.
Make sure to avoid composting mistakes when doing this and use methods to stop compost freezing in winter, like covering your raised garden bed with this tarp from Amazon.
The result will leave you with a rich, organic compost in your raised garden bed, ready for planting into by the time spring comes around.
FAQs
How do I clear out of my raised garden bed?
To clear your raised garden bed, you need to cut back any fading plants, get rid of weeds, and ensure all roots are removed. You can reuse the compost in your raised garden bed, but it will be beneficial to add some fresh compost and soil amendments to ensure there are plenty essential plant nutrients available for the new plants going in your raised garden bed.
It's not just your raised beds that can bring fall interest to the yard this season, you can also create stunning fall planters with the best fall flowers for pots. Alongside planting, consider incorporating some of the best outdoor fall decorating ideas.
