Just because you have eaten all the cucumbers, tomatoes and

zucchini you can stand doesn't mean it's time to give up on your

garden. If you aren’t planting a fall vegetable garden, make sure

you do a few things now to ensure your garden plot will be ready

in the spring.

First, pull up all weeds and spent vegetable plants. Remove them

from the area and dispose of them. Don't add this waste to your

compost pile. As the weather cools, it's likely that your compost pile will,

too. It may not get hot enough to destroy weed seeds, diseases or

insect eggs. If you've used mulch in your garden and had disease

or insect problems, remove the mulch to prevent infestations next

year.

Next, take a soil sample to see what the nutrient levels are in

your garden. Depending on the soil type, nutrients like

phosphorus don't leach very much from year to year. Soil test

tell you just the right type and amount of fertilizer and

amendments your soil needs. Considering the current cost of

fertilizer, that can save you a lot of money.

To get a good soil sample, University of Georgia Cooperative

Extension experts suggest taking a small amount of soil from

about 10 random locations within the garden. Using a trowel,

collect a sample from up to 6 inches deep.

Avoid using tools or buckets that have been used for mixing or

applying lime or fertilizer as this can affect your results. Mix

the random samples together in a clean bucket and remove any

thatch, plant roots or mulch.

Pour 1 to 2 cups of this mixed sample into a soil sample bag.

These sample bags are available at your local UGA Extension office.

Transport soil in a clean, paper, lunch-type sack and transfer it

to an official sample bag at the Extension office. The fee for

basic soil testing is usually less than $10 and the information

you learn will save you money in the long run.

The soil sample report will show the amount of fertilizer and

lime you'll need based on your sample and the crops you plan to

grow.

If you aren't going to plant in your garden this fall, you'll

likely only need to add lime now. Adding lime in the fall gives

the soil pH time to react and adjust. You can wait to add the

recommended fertilizer in the spring when your vegetables can use it.

Once your garden is clean, put away garden tools and hoses, relax

and wait for spring.

Krissy Slagle is a state Extension program assistant with the

University of Georgia Master Gardener Program