The first golden leaves of autumn are just beginning to turn, but don't put away those gardening tools just yet. There are still plenty of growing days left in the season. Indeed, late summer is the perfect time to plant quick-growing veggies that thrive in cooler weather. Spinach, radishes (especially vibrant pink and green watermelon radishes) carrots, kale, green onions, beets, broccoli raab, cabbage, turnips and rutabagas are all excellent candidates for sowing from seed in a fall veggie garden. Mulching in garden beds and around shrubs with fallen leaves puts pesky yard waste to good use and is especially important around newly planted trees or perennials to protect them from cold Illinois winters.
It's also an ideal time to begin dreaming and planning for next year's garden. Folks looking to install an entirely new garden space can begin now by laying a tarp down over the intended garden area and weighing it down with rocks or bricks to prevent the tarp from blowing away over the winter, smothering weeds and making the soil easier to turn come spring. This chemical-free method is well-suited to practically any kind of garden, from bountiful veggie gardens to eye-catching flower beds.
Create a native garden
For those dreaming of a garden that is as resilient and beneficial as it is beautiful, Lincoln Memorial Garden will host a workshop titled "Create a Native Garden from Scratch" at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13. Indigenous plants provide much-needed food and shelter for pollinators and other wildlife and are often more drought and disease-resistant than their exotic counterparts. Many are perennials or are self-seeding, meaning you can look forward to their return year after year.
Held in conjunction with the University of Illinois Master Gardeners and Naturalists, this workshop will be at the Ostermeier Demonstration Garden in the Prairie Center at LMG. The first in a series of four workshops, the September session will cover topics ranging from why to create a native garden, site assessment, ground preparation, how to design and more. Participants in the first session will have the opportunity to sign up for future events on Oct. 25, Nov. 15 and March 7. These in-depth sessions will cover native landscape design, plant selection and more. In the final session, participants will have the opportunity to develop and design their own garden that they will be able to plant in the spring.
The tour of the garden on Sept. 13 is free, and the series is $10. Pre-register to attend at the University of Illinois Extension website: https://extension.illinois.edu/events/2025-09-13-native-garden-design-series-first-session. If you have questions or need a reasonable accommodation, call 217-782-4617.
Make kokedema
If you love plants but digging and weeding isn't your thing, the Washington Park Botanical Garden will be hosting a kokedema workshop from 9-10:30 a.m. on Sept. 27. Described as a laid-back type of bonsai, the tradition of kokedema is centuries old and involves growing houseplants in a tightly compacted ball of soil covered in moss. Led by Charli Swain, the Botanical Garden's facilities program supervisor, participants will make their own kokedema and learn about the benefits of natural air purification, all while exercising their creative muscles in this hands-on class.
All materials are included and the cost is $35 for Springfield residents or $40 for non-residents. Registration can be done online, over the phone or in-person at the Washington Park Botanical Garden, located at 1740 W. Fayette Ave. in Springfield. For more information visit https://www.springfieldparks.org/Event/3614/Make-your-own-Kokedama/event-details/ or call 217-546-4116.
Pamela Savage is a freelance writer living in Springfield. She hopes to check a family camping trip off of her bucket list this fall.