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Fall is in full swing here in Portland, Oregon. We've stepped into the cooler, wetter part of the year (although yesterday was a glorious 70 degrees!). Since it's about to get really gloomy and muddy in the garden, some might think it's time to hang up the gardening gloves, the truth is, there’s still so much you can do in your edible and ecological garden to get ahead for next season. If you want a spring garden that’s bursting with life (and food and medicine!), now’s the time to roll up those sleeves and get your garden prepped for the colder months.
Let’s dive into some tips that are all about climate resilience, sustainability, and creating healthy, lower-maintenance foodscapes!
1. Save Seeds Like a Pro
If you’ve been growing all summer, now’s the perfect moment to start saving seeds from your healthiest plants. Not only does this help you become more self-sufficient (hello, no more buying seed packets every year!), but it also supports local biodiversity and climate resilience by using seeds that thrive in your specific environment.
Saving seeds is a low-waste, sustainable practice that’s incredibly rewarding. Here are some easy plants to start with:
Tomatoes: These are great for beginners—just scoop out the seeds, rinse, ferment for a few days, dry, and you’re set!
Peppers: Snag seeds from your ripest peppers, and you’ve got next year’s crop covered (pro tip: use a sedd viability test to amek sure the seeds you're saving will actually germinate).
Beans: Let the pods dry on the plant, and the seeds inside are ready to be stored for next season.
For more tips on seed saving, be on the lookout for my newsletter if you're a subscriber where I share tips about saving and starting seeds (and be the first to know when I host a seed saving workshop next fall).
2. Leave the Leaves
Let’s talk about my favorite fall hack: don’t rake your leaves. I know, I know—this might go against everything you’ve been taught about a tidy yard, but trust me on this. Fallen leaves break down naturally and create nutrient-rich compost for your soil. Plus, they provide essential habitat for wildlife like insects and small critters during the winter months. So, when you leave your leaves, you’re helping build healthier soil for next year and supporting the local ecosystem.
If you want to take it a step further, you can use them as mulch for your garden beds, which will help insulate your soil and protect against harsh winter weather.
3. Soil Health for Climate Resilience
Speaking of soil health, fall is prime get your sub-par garden soil in shape for next spring. It's not too late to grow some cover crops this year, and with the cool weather upon us, you'll soon have lots of leaves to add to your garden beds as well.
Ways to increase your soil health over the fall/winter season:
Enrich your soil with organic matter like yard compost, leaves, grass clippings, etc., reducing the need for chemical fertilizers later on.
Use mulch to retain moisture in your garden beds, which is key in a changing climate where droughts are more common. Light mulch like leaves or straw in annual beds, and arborist wood chips from chip drop in perennial beds are good, sustainable choices. This also suppresses the weeds, adds key nutrients to the soil as they decompose, and helps keep the soil microbiome healthy.
Cover crops are a great "green mulch" to add to your beds during fall and winter to help build up nutrients. While it is a little late in the fall season in Portland to add some cover crops like crimson clover, you can still add winter rye, winter oat, and winter wheat as they will not winterkill and will last through cold weather and frosts. Just chop and crop into your beds come spring.
4. Plant for Next Season Now
If you’re eager to keep growing food year-round, you can plant certain crops in fall that will give you a head start in spring. Think of it as nature’s way of meal prepping! Some cold-hardy plants can overwinter and start growing again as soon as the weather warms up. Here are a few to try:
Garlic: Plant cloves now, and you’ll be harvesting bulbs by next summer. Garlic is a staple in any edible garden. You can also plant shallots now, but they are a bit trickier to grow (ask me how I know lol).
Onions: They’ll establish roots over winter and be ready for harvest next year.
Cover Crops: These crops are key to soil health. Planting cover crops like clover or rye can protect your soil from erosion, suppress weeds, and add organic matter to your garden. Symbiop and Concentrates are two local places that have great cover cop options.
Native Plants: Autumn is the perfect time to put native plants in the ground and to start them from seed in your urban garden.
Starting a fall garden isn’t just about being productive—it's a smart, eco-friendly way to extend your growing season while also building a wildlife-friendly landscape; one that is resilient and prepared to thrive come spring.
5. Creating Wildlife Habitats for Winter
Gardens aren’t just for us humans—they’re for wildlife, too! As the days get colder, birds, insects, and small mammals rely on our gardens for shelter and food. Here’s how you can support them:
Pinecone Bird Feeders: These are a fun, low-cost project that also gives back to nature. Plus, they’re a great activity if you have kids (or if you just enjoy crafting). You can make them during my Winter Wildlife Habitat Workshop at Tigard Public Library on December 15th.
Leave Stalks Standing: Instead of clearing out everything in your garden, leave some plant stalks standing. These provide habitat for insects, which are a key part of the ecosystem.
Bird Baths: If you’re feeling fancy, add a bird bath to your garden. Even in winter, birds need access to fresh water, and they’ll appreciate the invite to your garden sanctuary. If you're looking for a minimalist, modern, locally made bird bath/pollinator watering station, I actually make some! You can find them on my website (local pick-up only) or when I am at local maker's markets.
Creating a garden that serves both you and local wildlife makes your space more biodiverse and ensures that your garden thrives year after year!
So garden friends, while it might feel like garden season is winding down, the truth is, you’re just getting started on creating a resilient, abundant garden for next year. By focusing on climate-smart practices like seed saving, building healthy soil, and supporting wildlife habitat, you’re setting yourself up for a healthy, productive, and eco-friendly edible garden.
If you’re looking to transform your outdoor space into an edible and ecological landscape that benefits people and planet, or perhaps learn how to actually USE the things you're growing, check out my upcoming workshops, shop for some of my botanical goodies (in person at local makers markets in Portland or online), or just drop me a line to chat about your garden goals. I’d love to help you grow your best, most sustainable garden yet!
By Gina Southern-Monson
Founder of Vessel Kitchen Gardens
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