Fall Gardening & Frost Preparedness 101 1/2 (in Zone 7a)

  🍂  Fall & Frost Preparedness 101 1/2 🍂

                           (in Zone 7a)

Dear Garden Friends,
The air is crisp, the leaves are beginning their colorful dance, and the soil feels a little cooler beneath our hands. Fall has officially arrived in the garden, and with it comes a fresh wave of opportunities, reflections, and cozy joys. While many think of spring as the season of beginnings, fall is equally a season of growth—it simply carries a gentler, quieter rhythm.

 

 🌱 Fall the Gardener’s Friend 🌱

Cooler temperatures and softer sunlight mean fewer pests, healthier soil, and easier watering. In Zone 7a, fall is a season to plant with confidence:

• 🥬 Spinach, kale, lettuce, arugula

• 🥕 Carrots, radishes, beets

• 🧄 Garlic & onions (for next year’s harvest)

• 🌳 Perennials, trees, and shrubs (to establish strong roots before winter)

The color palette of autumn in New Jersey is unlike anywhere else—deep scarlets, glowing oranges, and golden yellows sweep across the landscape, turning even the simplest garden stroll into a breathtaking scene. The garden becomes a living canvas, painted fresh each day by nature’s artistry.

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🍁 Preparing for the First Frost (October 25th)

💡 The average first frost date in Zone 7a lands between October 15–25. This year, expect it around October 25th.

✅ Frost Readiness Checklist (Sidebar Graphic Idea)

• Cover crops: clover, rye, or winter peas

• Protect tender plants: frost blankets, sheets, or row covers

• Mulch roots to regulate soil temperature

• Move containers to sheltered areas

• Compost fall leaves for rich soil

(This could be styled as a Pinterest-ready checklist with icons for mulch, blankets, and leafy compost piles.)

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🥧 Flavors of Fall

From the garden to the kitchen, fall flavors bring warmth and comfort. Apples, pumpkins, pears, and squash find their way into pies, soups, and roasts. At Henchy Family Gardens, apple tarts and roasted root vegetables have been our seasonal favorites—meals that connect garden and table in the most heartfelt way.

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🌸 A Gentle Reminder

As the garden slows, so too can we. Fall teaches us patience and rest. It whispers:

“You’ve done enough. You’ve grown. Now, prepare and be still.”

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🌎 Growing Zones & Why They Matter

Growing zones are based on average minimum winter temperatures. The U.S. is divided into 13 zones, each spanning 10°F.

                   Why Zones Matter?

🌱 Perennial survival – pick plants that withstand your winters.

🍅 Crop timing – zones guide frost dates.

🌼 Climate matching – cool vs. heat-loving crops.

📅 Season extenders – row covers, cold frames, and greenhouses stretch your season.

      Frost Dates: The Daily Gardener’s Tool

• Last Spring Frost: mid-April (safe to plant tender crops).

• First Fall Frost: mid-to-late October (harvest & cover plants).

         Zone 7a offers about 180 growing days per year.

       How to Use Your Zone:

• 🔎 Look up your zone on the USDA map.

• 🏷️ Read seed packets & plant tags.

• 📅 Build your calendar around frost dates.

• 🌞 Use microclimates (raised beds, sunny walls, greenhouses).

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5. The Whole Story

Zones give direction, but not every detail. Rainfall, soil type, humidity, and sunlight hours shape your garden, too. Gardening will always be science, art—and heart. 💚

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🌻 Closing Thoughts

At Henchy Family Gardens, we see zones as a gardener’s compass: they keep you pointed in the right direction while leaving space for creativity. As we tuck our gardens into bed, every mulched leaf and planted bulb becomes a promise to spring.

Here’s to cozy mornings with coffee in hand, golden leaves crunching underfoot, and soil still under our fingernails.

                                           🍂 Happy Fall, friends 🍂

With sun on your face and soil in your hands, 

                                             —We thank you! 

                                          and welcome to the Henchy Family farms Community.

                                                                       -Raquel Henchy, 

                                                                                  Henchy Family Farms 🌻

Looking for more tips?

1. https://www.pinterest.com/HenchyFamilyFarms

2. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573707443744

3. https://www.instagram.com/henchygardens/

4. https://www.youtube.com/@HenchyFamilyGarden

5. https://amzn.to/4lLno0Z

6. Henchyfarms.com

© Henchy Family Farms

    Zone 7

Jersey Shore, New Jersey 

          

Learning to Be Kind to Yourself 101 1/2

 

The Importance of Mental Health Maintenance in the Winter: 
                        Learning to Be Kind to Yourself 101 1/2

When winter arrives, it brings shorter days, colder nights, and sometimes heavier emotions. While cozy blankets and snowy evenings have their charm, winter can also be challenging for mental health.

That’s why mental health maintenance is so important this time of year. Just like a winter garden that needs care even when it looks bare, your mind thrives when nurtured with patience and kindness.

                      ❄️ Shift the Winter Mindset ❄️

Instead of focusing only on results — weight lost, tasks completed, or goals checked off — try shifting to how things make you feel.

👉 Replace “I have to exercise” with “I get to move my body to feel better.”
👉 Celebrate even 5–10 minutes of gentle activity.

Small steps matter. Consistency counts more than intensity.

                     🌼 Make It Personal & Fun 🌼

Wellness doesn’t need to feel like a chore.

• Dance in your room to a favorite song

• Try yoga with soft lighting

• Bundle up for a short walk

• Add creativity: Playful, When it’s fun, it’s sustainable.

                

              🪴Build Gentle Routines with Rewards🪴

Structure can keep you steady in the winter months. Pair routines with small joys:

• Listen to your favorite podcast only on walks

• Mark off a daily tracker for motivation

• Light a candle or brew tea after completing a short meditation

✨ Self-care becomes something to look forward to, not another box to check.

                           🌻 Connect to Meaning🌻

When energy feels low, tap into your values.

• Movement isn’t just for fitness — it’s for stress relief, sleep, ADHD focus, or grounding.

• Think of wellness as strengthening yourself to better show up for family, friends, and passions.

This makes your efforts feel purposeful, not just routine.

           💙 Lower the Pressure & Practice Kindness💙

Winter can be tough. Some days you’ll feel motivated, others you’ll need rest. That’s okay.

🌱 Kindness to yourself is not laziness — it’s wisdom.

Like a garden resting in winter, even when growth isn’t visible, important work is happening under the surface.

 

 🌿Everyday Practices for Winter Wellness🌿

✅ Practice mindfulness – 5 minutes of breathing or meditation
✅ Move daily – Walking, stretching, or dancing
✅ Stay connected – A quick text or call keeps relationships strong
✅ Make time for joy – Reading, cooking, or hobbies that soothe you
✅ Limit screen time – Too much scrolling fuels anxiety
✅ Ask for help early – Therapy and counseling are signs of strength

🌼 10-Minute Gentle Movement Routine🌼

Minute 1–2: Sunflower Stretch 🌻

Arms up like petals reaching for the sun, deep breaths.

Minute 3–4: Storm Sweep 🍂
Side steps with arms swinging as if sweeping leaves.

Minute 5–6: Dragonfly Wings 🪰
Arm circles forward and back, imagining dragonflies above.

Minute 7–8: Garden Path Walk 🚶
March in place, picturing walking through a peaceful garden.

Minute 9: Henchy Shake 🎶
                                            Freestyle dance — loosen up, wiggle, and enjoy.

                                            Minute 10: Golden Dew Cool Down 💧
                                            Hand on heart & stomach, slow breathing, imagining morning dew.

      ☀️ When to Reach Out for Support ☀️

• Persistent sadness or emptiness

• Trouble sleeping or eating

• Feeling hopeless or overwhelmed

• Withdrawing from things you love

💡Henchy Reminder💡You don’t need to wait until a crisis— reaching out early is an act of strength.

Trusted Resources:

• NAMI – Support & education

• SAMHSA Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Dial 988

• Mental Health America – Self-assessments & resources

• The Trevor Project – Support for LGBTQ+ youth

         🌱 Winter Wellness Reminder Box🌱

🌼 Pause & Breathe – Take 3 deep breaths right now
🌼 Step Outside – Even 5 minutes of fresh air shifts your mood
🌼 Stay Connected – Call or text someone who matters
🌼 Seek Help When Needed – 988 for crisis, 1-800-662-HELP for support

Take care of yourself the way you take care of your garden — patiently, gently, and with love. 🌿💙

✨ Henchy Thought ✨ : Winter may seem long and quiet, but remember: just like gardens rest and prepare for spring, so can you. The kindness you show yourself today becomes the resilience and strength that blooms tomorrow. 🌻

  With sun on your face and soil in your hands, 

                   —Welcome to the Henchy Family farms Community.

                                                                       -Raquel Henchy, 

                                                                                  Henchy Family Farms 🌻

Looking for more tips?

1. https://www.pinterest.com/HenchyFamilyFarms

2. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573707443744

3. https://www.instagram.com/henchygardens/

4. https://www.youtube.com/@HenchyFamilyGarden

5. https://amzn.to/4lLno0Z

6. Henchyfarms.com

© Henchy Family Farms

                 Zone 7

Jersey Shore, New Jersey 

          

Collecting & Making leaf Compost 101 1/2

            🍁 Collecting & Making leaf Compost 101 1/2 🍁

                                               (Zone 7, Jersey Shore)

🌱 Why Composting Matters🌱

• Healthy Soil = Healthy Plants
  Compost enriches the soil with nutrients, improves its structure, and helps it retain moisture — creating the perfect home for strong, resilient plants.
  
  

• Waste Less, Give More
  Instead of sending kitchen scraps and yard waste to the landfill, composting turns them into valuable food for the garden. It’s a simple way to reduce waste while creating something meaningful.
  
  

• Stronger Community & Planet
  When families compost, they not only improve their own gardens but also contribute to a healthier environment. Composting reduces methane emissions from landfills and closes the loop of giving back.

                        Turning Scraps into Garden Gold

At Henchy Family Gardens, we believe that nothing in the garden is ever wasted. Just as patience grows before vegetables, composting teaches us that even peels, leaves, and clippings can be transformed into something rich and life-giving. Composting is nature’s way of recycling — a cycle of giving back to the soil that gives so much to us.

                            🌻Where to Start?🌻

1. Choose Your Space

• Use a compost bin, tumbler, or simply make a pile in a corner of your yard.

• Place it somewhere with good drainage and easy access.
  
  

2. Build Your Pile

• Start with a layer of browns (sticks, dry leaves).

• Add greens (kitchen scraps, grass clippings).

• Alternate layers as you add more material.
  
  

3. Keep It Balanced

• Aim for a mix: about 2 parts browns to 1 part greens.

• Too many greens = smelly. Too many browns = slow.
  
  

4. Turn It Regularly

• Use a pitchfork or shovel to mix the pile every 1–2 weeks.

• This adds air, speeds decomposition, and keeps your compost healthy.
  
  

5. Wait & Harvest

• In 2–6 months (depending on conditions), your compost will be dark, crumbly, and earthy-smelling.

• Spread it in your garden beds, mix into potting soil, or top-dress around trees and shrubs.
  

Leaves are garden gold: Fallen leaves are “brown” (carbon-rich) fuel for compost. Shredded leaves + a little “green” (nitrogen) = fluffy, moisture-holding compost that improves soil and feeds microbes.

What do you need?

• Leaves: Ideally mix, maple, oak, birch, etc. Avoid contaminated with trash or road grime.

• Greens: Grass clippings, veggie scraps, coffee grounds,farm manure, seaweed,etc.

• Air & moisture tools: garden fork, hose with rose head, tarp or lid.

• Tools?: Bag shredding mower, leaf shredder, chicken wire, pallets, thermometer.
  

  

  
  
  
  

SStep 1 — Collect & Prep

1. Gather: Rake from your property, or take clean bagged leaves from neighbors (ask if they used weed-and-feed/herbicides). Pick out litter.
   
   

2. Shred: Run a mower over leaf piles or use a shredder. Shredded leaves won’t mat and break down 2–4× faster.
   
   

3. Sort special cases:

• Black walnut: compost separately and cure longer, or skip.

• Pine needles: Small amounts; they’re waxy and slow—mix with other leaves.

• Diseased leaves: hot compost only (see temps below) or dispose.

                       🌸 What You Can Compost🌸

Think of compost as a balance of “greens” and “browns.”

• Nitrogen greens: Fruit & vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, grass clippings.
  
  

• Carbon browns: Dry leaves, twigs, shredded paper, cardboard, straw.

🚫 Avoid 🚫

Meat, dairy, oils, pet waste.

(These can attract pests).

Step 2 — Build, hot compost recipe

                             Target C:N ≈ 25–30:1. Leaves are ~50–80:1, so add greens.

Quick volume recipe:

• 2–3 bins/bags shredded leaves (loosely packed)

• 1 bin/bag greens (grass/coffee/food scraps/manure)

• A handful of finished compost or soil (inoculates microbes)
  
  

Layering (“lasagna”)

1. 6–8" shredded leaves

2. 2–3" greens

3. Light sprinkle of water (aim for wrung-out sponge moisture)

4. Repeat to at least 3×3×3 ft (1 m³) for winter heat. Cap with leaves and cover with a tarp if heavy rain is expected.

Step 3 — Manage heat, air, and moisture

Moisture: Squeeze test = Dry, water while turning; Soggy, add dry leaves and fluff.

Air: Turn when temps peak or the center cools—about every 5–7 days for hot compost.

Temperature targets:

                       130–160°F (54–71°C) 

                      The core for 3+ days to knock back weed seeds & many pathogens.

                       If >160°F, add leaves and turn to cool it.

Winter Zone 7 tips

• Build bigger to hold heat; use a tarp to cut wind/rain.

• Turning is still helpful, but the pile may slow; it will re-ignite in early spring.

• Start a second “leaf mold” pile (see below) for extra leaves you can’t fit.

Step 4 — Finish & cure

• Active phase: 3–8 weeks (hot process) with regular turns.

• Curing: 4–8 weeks undisturbed. 

• Ready: Soils are dark, earthy, crumbly, and you can’t recognize the ingredients. 

• Screen: Toss chunky bits back in.

                         Leaf-only option: Make leaf mold

• Pile shredded leaves alone (or stuff into aerated bags with a few holes).

• Keep evenly moist; turn monthly (or poke air holes).

• Timing: 6–12 months (faster if shredded).

• Use: Incredible mulch/soil conditioner (high carbon, low N)—mix into beds or top-dress around plants.

                           Using your finished compost

• Beds: 1–2" layer over beds in spring/fall; lightly fork in.

• Transplants: A trowel of compost in each planting hole.

• Mulch: ½–1" around veggies, then cap with straw/leaves.

                          Troubleshooting (fast fixes)

• Ammonia smell / slimy: Too many greens → add shredded leaves, turn.

• Dry & inactive: Add water while turning; add greens.

• Matted leaves: Unshredded or compressed → Break mats apart, reshred and remix.

• Critters: Bury food scraps in the center; avoid meat/dairy/oils; use a bin with a lid.

What to skip, the recap:

Stay clear of: Meat, fish, dairy, oils, pet waste, glossy/plastic, heavily sprayed lawn debris, large walnut loads, and diseased leaves unless you can reliably hot-compost.

Henchy Tips

• Mower-bag trick: Mow/rake at once—instant shredding + collection.

• Free browns: Ask neighbors for clean leaves; label a bin “leaf gold” in the greenhouse.

• Winter cover: A tarp keeps nutrients from leaching and sheds nor’easter rain.

                   

Garden fresh recipe: 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Garden Herbs

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes (peeled or scrubbed, cubed into 1-inch chunks)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp garlic powder (or 2 minced cloves)

• 1 tsp paprika (smoked if you like depth)

• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary or thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

• Optional: a drizzle of honey/maple syrup for extra warmth

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. Place the cubed sweet potatoes on a baking sheet.

3. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, and herbs. 

4. Spread in a single layer so they roast evenly.

5. Roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and tender.

6. Optional: drizzle with honey or maple syrup before serving.

Serving Ideas:

• As a warm side dish with roasted chicken or fish.

• Tossed into a winter salad with kale, goat cheese, and walnuts.

• Mashed with a little butter and cinnamon for a sweeter twist.

                       

                        🌼 The Garden Lesson🌼

“Composting reminds us that nothing is wasted. Even in decay, there is life — a chance to begin again, stronger and richer than before.”

At Henchy Family Gardens, composting is more than a practice; it’s a story of renewal. Each peel, leaf, and clipping becomes a part of the greater whole, teaching us to see beauty and purpose even in what we once thought was “scrap.”

   With sun on your face and soil in your hands, 

                                             —We thank you! 

and welcome to the Henchy Family farms Community.

                                                                       -Raquel Henchy, 

                                                                                  Henchy Family Farms 🌻

Looking for more tips?

1. https://www.pinterest.com/HenchyFamilyFarms

2. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573707443744

3. https://www.instagram.com/henchygardens/

4. https://www.youtube.com/@HenchyFamilyGarden

5. https://amzn.to/4lLno0Z

6. Henchyfarms.com

© Henchy Family Farms

                 Zone 7

Jersey Shore, New Jersey