Everyone knows that spring and summer are primetime for the gardeners. But many people are unaware that proper care of the garden continues into the fall and winter. Below are some things you can do with your garden to keep your soil healthy and living throughout the colder months of the year.

Plant Cover Crops

We always recommend new gardeners plant cover crops to keep their soil life at tip-top shape when it's not being used for production. Cover crops add helpful biological material and nutritional value back into the soil, keeping the microbiological life in the soil alive.  

Some great cover crop choices are:

• Crimson Clover
• Radishes
• Vetch
• Alfalfa
• Austrian Field Pea
• Mustard Greens

… and many can be used together!

Plant Winter Vegetables

Another fantastic thing to do with your soil in the colder seasons is to actually reuse it. Crop rotation enhances soil quality, composition and nutritional fertility. There are many delicious, cold-hardy crops (such as broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi, onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, radishes, rutabaga, turnip, radicchio, spinach, artichokes, and kale!) that can be planted in winter and give you a tasty crop. Be sure to protect these from frost by using a cold frame structure or simply covering them with a thick plastic tarp. 

There are many creative ways to make a DIY Cold Frame Greenhouse, below are some examples:

Mulching

If planting isn’t on the agenda, mulching the soil is a great way to maintain tilth (aka land cultivation) and soil quality. Mulch keeps the soil free of any unwanted weeds while allowing the soil to maintain structure and prevent plant pests and diseases from easily gaining a foothold. 

There are numerous mulch styles including: spreading straw, foraged vegetation, Comfrey leaves, woven Jute blankets, bark, compost, cardboard sheeting or even plastic covering. 

We wish you well with your winter garden and our team at Good Earth Organics is here to help with questions and products to ensure you’re ready for spring! 

Sources:  Organic Produce Network and Stop Waste

Written by Carly Culin

Good Earth Organics | Why organic potting soil matters

According to a recent Medicinal Genomics Corporation report, "Microbial contamination on products represents one of the most significant threats to consumers, particularly immunocompromised patients who could develop harmful infections." Good Earth Organics (GEO) produces and markets premium organic potting soils and nutrients, specially formulated to maximize flower growth. 

Here is why growing with organic soil matters:

• Safety | The plant is adept at absorbing chemicals and metals from its root system. Because it is important that plants be free of chemical, inorganic, and synthetic elements that can cause harm. 
• Sustainability | When growing organically, the surrounding water, soil, and biodiversity are unharmed. 
• Quality | As legal consumption becomes more popular and the business  increases, consumers expect higher quality products. Organic offers consumers an improved flavor and quality, with enhanced potency.  
• Regulation | Legal sales are expected to grow more than 200% from 2017 to 2022. Plants grown for resale, however, must meet strict state testing requirements for purity. 

GEO has earned organic certifications from both OMRI & Clean Green(independent certifiers that test and approve soils for organic growing). The company's revenue grew 43% in 2019 to over $3mm, serving a broad base of individual consumers and hundreds of large-scale professional growers in the Emerald Triangle growing region.

The GEO team has grown up in the Emerald Triangle and have combined decades of growing organic gardens of toxin-free plants. Additionally, the management team and owners are graduates of Stanford, Harvard, Harvard Business School, and Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management. - Seed Invest Marketplace

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