Time to sow cool weather crops

Q. What vegetables and/or herbs can I plant in August for the fall harvest?

A. With the dog days of summer waning, it's time to think about your fall garden. If you want some home grown vegetables and herbs for the fall, you should plan to sow your cool weather crops sometime in mid-August.

Many vegetables benefit from our cool late summer and early fall nights as the temperatures begin to drop. Some great examples of vegetables that you can plant now for a fall harvest include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, peas, radishes and turnips. I also find that kale, lettuce and spinach grow great in the fall and combined with the other vegetables that you may grow, you can have a fresh mixed salad all straight from your garden. And, while green beans are considered an early summer crop, they may be planted, too, as they mature quickly and should make for a nice fall treat.

If you love adding some fresh herbs to your dishes, you should consider planting some basil, cilantro and parsley. All fair well as fall approaches. If you're short on places to plant herbs, you can sow them in a garden pot with great success. I freeze my fall harvest of herbs and use them throughout the winter months in a variety of gravies, sauces and soups.

So, get some seeds sowed this month to enjoy some fresh vegetables and herbs as fall approaches.

- Wendy Reiner

• Provided by Master Gardeners through the Master Gardener Answer Desk, Friendship Park Conservatory, Des Plaines, and University of Illinois Extension, North Cook Branch Office, Arlington Heights. Call (847) 298-3502 Monday, Wednesday and Saturday or (847) 201-4176, ext. 14, on Fridays.