More Thoughts While Weeding: Assessing summer as the season winds down

August’s unrelenting heat gave way to a welcome change with the arrival of September. A very cool night on the first served as a reminder that summer is winding down, and the autumn equinox is three weeks away.

As the seasons transition, so do the garden chores. The tomato harvest is at its peak, second plantings of cukes and summer squash are cranking, but many crops have simply seen their finest hours. The beans have yellowed and production has dwindled, lettuce bolted during the dog days of August, and the tops of my onions are dried and brown, signaling that they are ready to be pulled. As the vinery and weeds are cleared away, and space opens up in the garden, it is an ideal time for planting a cover crop. The final days of summer and early fall offer sufficient warmth and moisture to get a planting established, and the investment of sowing winter rye or other covers is worth the investment for several reasons.