Fall's an excellent time for a salad garden here in the Northwest.

Fall in the Northwest usually brings cooler but still sunny weather. And that offers us an excellent opportunity for growing a fall salad garden. Cool weather vegetable starts like lettuce, carrots, broccoli and cabbage can still be planted now and harvested in the next couple months, resulting in some delightful fresh salads for your dinner table. Consider growing some of the more "exotic" lettuces like arugula. These exotics really give your salads some variety and unique tastes.

Start with a good-sized area, either tilled soil or a raised bed. If available garden space is at a minimum, consider interspersing your vegetables among shrubs and flowers, or use planters on your deck. Just be sure to pick spots where your salad fixin's will enjoy about 6 hours of sun each day.

Till the soil to about 10" deep, mixing in compost or other humus. For each plant, dig a hole about 6" deep. Add a 2" layer of compost and a tablespoon of fertilizer to the bottom of each hole. Fill the hole with water, then let it sink in.

Remove your vegetable seedlings from their containers, being careful not to damage the roots. Plant in the hole, gently firming soil around the root ball. Add a layer of mulch on top of the garden beds to help retain water and deter weeds.

Remember to check regularly for watering needs. As the weather turns cooler, sometimes we forget water is still in high demand by plants that continue vigorous growth. Water whenever the soil feels dry down to a depth of about 1".

Here's to some fresh and tasty homegrown salads this fall!

While much of the information in these tips is applicable in several gardening zones/climates, some of the plants and timing suggested are best suited to the Northwest, generally in the mild/wet growing regions found along the I-5 corridor. You should make appropriate adjustments or consult local gardening experts in regions whose climates differ from this area of the Northwest.