The first day of Fall was a few days ago, and I thought this would be a great opportunity to talk about fall gardening for 2021! Fall is a beautiful time of the year, and it’s also an excellent time to get your soil in shape for next spring. To do this, you will need to measure soil pH value and add soil amendments as necessary. You will also want to plan out which vegetables and flowers you want planted for the fall season so that they can be ordered now before all good supplies are gone!

There are some specific things you will need to know when it comes to soil pH value before planting anything though. You don’t want a soil that’s too acidic or alkaline because this can damage the soil and end up killing your plants.

Measure soil pH value with a soil testing kit to determine which soil amendments you need to mix into your garden soil. This will help give plants what they need so that they can grow strong, healthy roots all season! If you are looking for pH kits, you can read our blog post on 8 best soil pH Testers.

Soil Amendments

Soil amendments are substances that can be added to make it more fertile. Different types of soil amendments are peat, manure and leaf mold. The soil pH balance should read between five and seven on the scale for ideal growth conditions. When looking for soil amendments be aware of mixtures that contain soil with the addition of wood chips, bark and other organic materials. These soil amendments can contribute to a higher acidity level in your soil which is not good for plants. On the other hand soil amendments that contain soil and sand can help raise the soil pH balance level. If you would like to know more information, our blog post on garden soil may be interesting for you.

Importance of pH Value of Soil

Some soil test companies will send a soil sample to the lab for testing and have you pay only if they find deficiencies in your soil’s pH balance level or nutrient levels. This is an excellent deal because it saves money on soil tests that are not needed. These types of deals can be found online from reputable sources such as Amazon, soil test soil, and others.

A soil pH balance level between five and seven on the scale is ideal. When soil has a neutral pH reading of seven which means it contains equal amounts of hydrogen and hydroxide ions in solution this makes for good conditions to plant vegetables or flowers.

It’s important to keep soil moist but not soggy. Be sure to not overwater or underwater your soil while waiting for the soil test results back so you know what soil amendments are needed to improve its condition.

Watering in the morning is ideal because this allows time for water evaporation on hot days, which cools down soil temperature instead of having it rising hotter and hotter throughout the day.

Planting Flowers and Vegetables in the Fall

Fall gardening is a great time to plant vegetables. The soil is still warm and it becomes cooler at night, which helps the soil release its nutrients making them readily available for plants to absorb. Spring gardening brings on different challenges because of warmer temperatures that come with more rain in the spring season. You may have read my thoughts on my blog post on Spring 2021 gardening.

In general, having a soil test performed on your soil will tell you what types of soil amendments are needed to improve its condition. This is important because it helps prevent over fertilization which leeches nutrients from the soil instead of adding them back in as intended with organic soil amendments.

Some fall flowers that can be planted in 2021 include calendula, cosmos purple beauty, dwarf sunflower varieties like the sunrich giant strain and the jumbo flower.

Some fall vegetables that can be planted in 2021 include acorn squash, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, pumpkins (including sugar baby), cabbage, brussels sprouts and kale. Fall is also a prime time to plant garlic for harvesting next summer.

Fall 2021 Flower Planting Tips

When planting calendula we have to be aware of soil pH balance. If the soil is too acidic, it will affect root development and calcium absorption. Calendula can be planted in soil with a pH value between five to seven for best results .

Steps to plant calendula:

Soil pH value must be between five and seven
Soil temperature should be 70 degrees Fahrenheit
Plant calendula 12 inches apart to allow for proper airflow.

Steps for planting cosmos purple beauty:

Soil pH value must be between five and seven
Soil temperature should be 70 degrees Fahrenheit for best results.

Coming to planting dwarf sunflower, it is best to measure soil pH value before planting. The soil must be balanced with a soil test to determine if the pH level is between six and eight for best results.

Steps to plant the dwarf sunflower:

Soil pH value must read between six and eight on a soil test kit scale, otherwise it will affect root development and calcium absorption
Soil temperature should be 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Plant sunflower seeds 30 inches apart to allow room for their growth and maturity date of 85 days after planting, which is ideal for cutting the flowers.

Fall 2021 Vegetable Planting Tips

First you need to buy the seeds of whichever plant you would like to grow. If you live in an area where it can get very cold in the winter it is a good idea to find a seed company that has a wide variety of plants that grow well in a colder climate since a lot of places have harsh winters. Whatever you do, don’t buy seeds from your local store because they are usually for tropical plants and will not grow in the fall when it is cold. Also, if you do live in an area where there isn’t very much sunlight during the day, make sure that you get the kind of seeds that need a lot of sunlight. Once you have bought your seeds, it’s time to buy some dirt for planting. As explained earlier, first get your soli pH tested, and depending on the results, you will want to mix in fertilizer (if it is composted, don’t add too much because your plants will grow really big and won’t be very healthy, but if it is not composted you can add a lot of it). Once you have the appropriate type of dirt and fertilizer, go home and start planting the seeds.

When planting pumpkins, Brussels sprouts or kale , cover up half of the seed with soil and then water them every day so that the soil doesn’t dry out. If you are planting cabbage , just cover it up with the dirt and once its leaves pop out, pull some of them back so there is room for the stalk to grow.

As soon as it starts getting colder outside, stop watering your plants every day and let them get used to the colder weather. This will help them grow faster in the spring.

If you don’t live in an area where the winters are very cold, it is a good idea to grow your vegetables indoors or purchase them from a local greenhouse.

One of the best things about planting pumpkins, brussel sprouts, kale and cabbage is that you can eat them later after they have grown. Pumpkins will be orange, Brussels sprouts will be light green, kale will have big leaves and the cabbages’ leaves will be very large.

Planting pumpkins, brussel sprouts, kale and cabbage in the fall is a fun, rewarding project for you and your family to do together. If you follow these steps then you should have a good experience.

Tips for planting pumpkins in fall 2021:

Soil pH value should read between five and seven.
Soil temperature should be 60 degrees Fahrenheit for pumpkin seeds to germinate evenly in the soil.

Tips for planting cabbage in 2021 fall season:

Soil pH level must measure six or higher on a scale of one to 14, which is ideal for soil health.
Soil temperature should be 50 degrees Fahrenheit to germinate evenly in the soil.

Tips for planting brussels sprouts:

Soil pH level must read between five or seven on a scale of one to 14, which is ideal for soil health and plant growth.
Soil temperature should be 50 degrees Fahrenheit to germinate evenly in the soil.

Tips for planting kale in the fall of 2021:

Soil pH level must read between five or seven on a scale of one to 14, which is ideal for plant growth and soil health.
Soil temperature should be 40 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure even soil temperature for soil health.

Steps to planting garlic in fall 2021 soil:

Soil pH level must read between five or seven on a scale of one to 14, which is ideal for soil health and plant growth.
Soil temperature should be 50 degrees Fahrenheit with the ground temperature at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Fall is also an

Steps to plant butternut squash:

Soil pH value must read six to eight on the scale
Soil temperature should be 60 degrees Fahrenheit for best results.

To ensure soil health and plant growth, soil readings should be taken. The soil must have a pH level of five to seven for calendula planting success, six or higher on the scale for brussel sprouts planting success, six to eight on the scale for butternut squash planting success, and soil temperature must be 60 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure soil health for acorn squash. The soil readings will allow the plants to absorb nutrients in order to grow healthy.

Happy planting!