You can start planting your fall garden now. Learn what you can about cover cropping. Mixes of winter rye and hairy vetch can feed your soil and keep it from getting waterlogged and hard packed over a long cold winter. Mulch heavy. Better yet. plant cole and dark leafy greens crops that like cool weather and can be covered by plastic or glass for an extended harvest. Rule of thumb is to never have exposed dirt to the elements. The worms like a warm, yummy bed for the winter, too. Words to plant by. One note is that harvesting spinach later in the day, when cloudy and overcast reduces some toxic build up that happens when there are low light levels. Not a problem till late fall, though.
Just found this posting for gardens in SW Columbus

Gantz Road Community Garden Project

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce the opening of the Gantz Road Community Garden. This one-acre garden is located on the southwest side of Columbus near the intersection of Gantz and Frank Roads. Approximately 60 plots are available.

The Gantz Road Community Garden is open to all Franklin County residents. There are no fees or deposits required for the remainder of 2009.

Gardeners will be required to follow Garden Rules, submit a Plot Request Form and sign a Release of All Claims. Requests will be honored and assigned in the order of their receipt.

Gardeners will receive

* Garden plot(s) for use during the 2009 growing season.
* Access during daylight hours
* Water

Plot sizes are as follows: Full (12′ x 40′), Half (12′ x 20′), and Quarter (12′ x10′).

Forms may be submitted on-site to the Garden Coordinator, electronically, faxed to (61… or mailed to:

Franklin County Board of Commissioners
Attn: Garden Coordinator
373 South High Street, 26th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

For more information, click here for a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), call (614) 462-3322 or email CommunityGarden@FranklinCountyOhio.gov