With summer coming to a close, area residents will soon be planting their winter gardens; however, some will be doing so for the first time as interest in growing your own vegetables and fruits at home has seen a sharp increase in the past year.

In fact, according to the 2010 edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, companies have seen an average increase of 20 percent in seed sales “mostly due to a surge in vegetable growing.” With this in mind, Haralson County Extension Coordinator Paul E. Thompson III has some tips to share with Haralson County gardeners and gardeners-to-be as they prepare their winter plots.

“The number one mistake people make is not soil testing,” Thompson said. “A soil test will let you know if you need to amend the soil, which will help prevent nutrient deficiency problems later on.”

Anyone can pick up a soil test sample bag at the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension office on the corner of Van Wert Street and Highway 100 in Buchanan. The soil sample will then be sent to UGA and analyzed. A week later, residents can pick up a sheet detailing the specifics of their soil, like its pH and whether it is in need of amendments.

“Of course, they need to know what they want to plant,” Thompson said. “The pH and fertilizers that are required – if any – will vary depending on what they want to plant.”

The most common vegetables planted in the fall include leafy greens, carrots, onions, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. Though the types of plants that grow in fall differ greatly from those grown during the spring and summer, Thompson points out that you can still have a plentiful crop despite the short growing season and perhaps even have more fun than you would growing a summer garden.

“Greens will continue to grow through the fall until after the first frost,” Thompson said. “Plus, fall gardening can be a lot of fun because there are less insects, and it’s not so hot.”

However, there are some pitfalls new gardeners should watch out for. Now that the drought has begun to loosen its grip on the South, we have had more rainfall than in recent years. Therefor, first-time gardeners should be careful to chose a well-drained site for their garden this fall and not water too often when rainfall is plentiful.

“We had so much more rain this summer that fungus did become a problem for some people,” Thompson said. “Rainwater does make it easier to manage a garden, but you have to watch for rots and wet spots.”

According to Thompson, creating a well-drained, aerated garden can be achieved by adding organic matter, like compost, to your soil and tilling it deeply into the soil.

“You don’t want it to be hard and compact like your yard,” Thompson said.

If your yard is too compact, and you don’t want to try to till a small space – or you don’t have a space large enough to till – Thompson says a raised garden bed is an excellent alternative to bringing in large equipment to prepare a small garden.

“All you need is a small spot, 10x10 or 20x20 feet, frame it with wood and fill it with soil and organic material. You can event put it in your driveway,” Thompson said. “That’s the great thing about a raised bed, you can put it wherever it works for you.”

Thompson says it’s best if first-time gardeners put their gardens close to the house so they won’t forget to care for their garden; however, it is also important that your garden gets six to eight hours of sunlight – even in the fall.

“You’ll also want to plant your vegetables far enough apart to promote good circulation throughout the garden,” Thompson said. “Which is why it is also important to pull weeds. If you mulch, that will help control weed problems.”

Of course, if you don’t want to plant a fall garden, planting a cover crop is also an option. Planting things like wheat and clover can serve a duel purpose: it can replenish some of your soil’s nutrients and act as compost in the spring.

Whatever you decide to do in your garden this fall, Thompson encourages residents to take advantage of the Extension Office’s services.

“We can offer advice, we have flyers, the soil tests, we’re willing to come out and go to farms and gardens and look at things you’re concerned about,” Thompson said. “We’re here to work for you.”

Thompson says the Extension Office can offer farmers and gardeners alike advice on anything from plant varieties, to growing conditions and even pest and disease identification so residents can avoid dousing plants with the wrong insecticide.

For more information on fall gardening or on the Extension Office, call Thompson at 770-646-2026, or e-mail him at pault3@uga.edu.