Fall Edible Garden Design Blueprint

Project Overview

This project challenges you to design a sustainable fall edible garden or balcony planting project. You will apply principles of sustainable gardening, focusing on late-season crops, soil health, and resource efficiency. This blueprint will guide you through the planning process.

Project Objectives

Upon completion of this project, you will be able to:

• Select appropriate cool-season crops for your specific growing conditions.
• Assess your chosen site for optimal fall gardening.
• Plan for soil health improvements, including the incorporation of organic matter.
• Integrate sustainable practices into your garden design.
• Create a visual and descriptive plan for your fall edible garden.

Deliverables

Your completed Fall Edible Garden Design Blueprint should include the following sections:

1. Site Analysis & Overview: A description of your chosen gardening space (e.g., raised bed, in-ground garden, balcony containers) and its key characteristics.
2. Crop Selection Plan: A list of 3-5 cool-season crops you intend to grow, with reasons for their selection (e.g., frost tolerance, family preference).
3. Soil Health Strategy: A detailed plan for improving and maintaining soil health in your garden space.
4. Garden Layout Sketch: A simple drawing of your garden design, showing the placement of crops, pathways (if applicable), and any protective structures.
5. Sustainable Practices Integration: A description of at least two additional sustainable practices you will incorporate.
6. Reflection: A brief personal reflection on your design process.

Blueprint Sections:

1. Site Analysis & Overview

• Type of Garden Space: (e.g., small raised bed, large in-ground plot, balcony with pots)

• Available Sunlight (estimate hours per day in fall):

• Key Site Characteristics/Challenges: (e.g., windy, shady corner, good drainage)

2. Crop Selection Plan

List 3-5 cool-season crops you plan to grow. For each, note why you chose it.

• Crop 1:
  
  
  Why this crop?
  
  
  
• Crop 2:
  
  
  Why this crop?
  
  
  
• Crop 3:
  
  
  Why this crop?
  
  
  
• Crop 4 (Optional):
  
  
  Why this crop?
  
  
  
• Crop 5 (Optional):
  
  
  Why this crop?
  
  
  

3. Soil Health Strategy

Describe your plan for preparing and maintaining healthy soil for your fall garden. Consider using Composting for the Cooler Months in your plan.

4. Garden Layout Sketch

Draw a simple sketch of your garden space below. Include where each crop will be planted, and any other important features (e.g., compost pile location, water source, protective covers).

5. Sustainable Practices Integration

Beyond soil health, what other sustainable practices will you include? (e.g., rainwater harvesting, companion planting, pest management without chemicals, seed saving)

• Sustainable Practice 1:
  
  
  
• How will you implement it?
  
  
  
• Sustainable Practice 2:
  
  
  
• How will you implement it?
  
  
  

6. Reflection

What was the most interesting or challenging part of designing your sustainable fall garden?

Composting for the Cooler Months: A Group Discussion

Introduction

Composting is a cornerstone of sustainable gardening, especially as we move into the cooler months. It's a fantastic way to recycle garden and kitchen waste, enriching our soil and reducing landfill contributions. Let's share our experiences and knowledge about composting as we prepare our gardens for fall and winter.

Discussion Prompts:

1. Opening Question: What are your current composting habits, or what has been your biggest challenge/success with composting?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Fall Composting Focus: As fall arrives, what types of organic matter become more abundant (e.g., leaves, spent plants)? How do you incorporate these into your compost pile?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Winter Preparedness: How do you manage your compost pile as temperatures drop? Do you continue composting through winter, or do you take specific steps to prepare your pile for dormancy?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. Troubleshooting & Tips: What are some common composting problems you've encountered (e.g., smell, pests, slow decomposition), and what solutions have you found effective? Share your best tip for successful fall and winter composting.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

5. Using Fall Compost: How do you plan to use the compost you create in the fall and over the winter in your garden (e.g., soil amendment, mulch, preparing for spring planting)?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Concluding Thought

Remember, every bit of organic matter diverted from landfill and returned to your soil contributes to a healthier, more sustainable garden! Keep those compost piles active!