Keep them Growing
As garden herbs start to bolter, cut them back to keep the plant producing new foliage rather than going to seed. For tomato or pepper plants that have stopped producing due to the heat, just remove any dead leaves, keep them watered, and they should start to bear fruit again when cooler fall weather arrives.

Clean it up
Remove any dead or spent plants from the garden, and if they are not diseased, add them to your compost pile. Pull any weeds that may have started to take hold.

Amend the Soil
Add compost to garden beds and till into the soil. This will help replace nutrients taken up by the previous planting.

Draw a Plan
You don’t need a degree in art or an expensive software program to draw a rough sketch of your landscape and garden plan. If you have the original survey from when you bought your house, make a copy of it and use that as a starting point. If not, just make a rough sketch of the footprint of your home. Draw in existing landscape features, and planned garden areas. Indicate which way is north and make note of any shady or poorly drained areas.

Add Fall Color
Look at your landscape as a whole and determine what native or locally adapted fall flowers are best suited to the different areas of your yard based on their color, size, water requirements, and the amount of sun needed. By planting now, they will be well established and ready to flower come fall.

Grow What You Like
Make a list of the fall vegetables for your area that your family likes and rank them from most to least liked.

Some Cool Weather Favorites are: Arugula, Beets, Bok Choi, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Carrots, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Collards, Cress, Endive, Garlic, Kale, Leeks, Mustard Greens, Onions, Peas, Radishes, Spinach, and Turnips.

Plan to plant what you like. If no one in your family likes beets or brussels sprouts, for example, then plan on planting more of what is most liked.

Crop Rotation
Be sure to check out our Crop Rotation in the Home Garden Guide for tips on which vegetables you should and shouldn’t plant in the same spot right after each other.

Can, Store, or Eat
Decide what the intended use for each vegetable and herb will be. Do you plan on canning enough to last through the winter? Will you be freezing or dehydrating, or will you just eat and enjoy what you harvest this fall. Different varieties of many vegetables are better suited to a specific purpose such as canning. Do your research.

Add New Beds
Now that you know what you will be planting and what your harvest will be used for, you can determine how much of each variety you should plant. Look at your existing bed space and any areas of your yard that you may want to convert to garden beds. For new beds, avoid low-lying, poorly drained areas. Clear the ground, till and amend the soil now.

Order Seeds Now
Now that you’ve determined which vegetables, what varieties, and how many of each you will be planting this fall, order your seeds now. This will ensure that you get exactly what you want and have them ready to plant when the time arrives. Be sure to check out our comprehensive Seed Source Guide for an alphabetical listing of many sources of Seeds, Transplants, and Bulbs for Vegetables, Herbs, Flowers, Grains, Grasses, Ground Covers, Vines, Fruits, Sprouting, Trees, Wildflowers, and much more.

Don’t Lose Track of Today
Remember to enjoy each day on its own merit. It’s easy to get worn down by the heat, the weeding, and the canning. But don’t let the anticipation of your fall garden, and the promise of cooler temperatures yet to come, distract you from today. Remember, “To everything there is a season.”

The post It's Time To Plan your Fall Garden first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

“Many public shelters that are set up for disaster victims don’t accept pets so you need to find out in advance which shelters or hotels along your evacuation route will accept animals,” says Lyman Munson, vice president of risk services for Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company. “It is tragic, but people have actually died because they were ordered to evacuate a disaster area but stayed because they did not want to leave their pets.”

With so many different potential disasters, advance planning is the best way for everyone to survive a catastrophe and get their lives back to normal as soon as possible.

Fireman’s Fund offers the following tips to protect your pets in the event of a disaster:

1. Have a disaster plan

Put together a list of boarding facilities and veterinarians along your evacuation route and outside your area that might be able to shelter your pets in an emergency.

Talk to your vet, the local humane society or the local emergency management agency for information regarding community evacuation plans that include pets.

Make advance arrangements to have a friend or neighbor pick up your pets in the event you are not at home when a disaster strikes. And, plan where you will meet or how you will reach each other.

2. Make a grab-and-go disaster kit for your pets

Just as you should have a G.O.O.D.(Get out of Dodge) disaster kit for your family, containing important papers and other key items, you should prepare a similar kit for your pets. It should contain the following:

* Medication and medical records (including proof of rabies vaccination) in a waterproof container.
* Leashes, harnesses, crates and carriers for transporting your pet.
* A muzzle, if your pet requires one.
* Food and water for at least three days.
* Cat litter and litter box.
* Comfort toys.
* Recent photo of your pet in case you become separated.
* Name and phone number of your veterinarian.

3. If you must evacuate, take your pets

Be prepared to leave early; do not wait for an official evacuation as you might be ordered to leave your pets behind.

Make sure your pet is wearing up-to-date identification. Include the phone number of a friend or relative outside your area in case your pet gets lost and you cannot be reached. And mark the crate or carrier with similar information.

Birds should be transported in a secure travel cage or carrier.

4. After the disaster

Once you return to your home, do not allow your pets to roam loose right away. While you assess the damage, keep dogs on a leash and other animals in their carriers.

Familiar landmarks and smells might be gone, and your pet may become disoriented. Pets can easily get lost in such situations, so give them some time to get used to their “new” surroundings. Be patient. Try to get your pets back into their normal routines as soon as possible, and be on the lookout for stress-related behavioral problems; if these persist, talk to your veterinarian.

“Planning for your pets ahead of time will relieve stress and help you and your family to focus on safety during and after a disaster,” says Munson. “Safety should be your primary consideration.”

The post Include your Pets in your Evacuation and Disaster Planning first appeared on The How Do Gardener.