Time to plant the seeds of fall vegetables
In spring, gardeners can't wait to plant seeds of cool-season crops and begin harvesting the first season of vegetables before tomatoes have even been planted. Now, as we are just beginning to pick tomatoes and other warm-season vegetables - the second season of vegetable gardening - it may be difficult to think about planting seeds of cool-season vegetables to harvest in fall.
Plant seeds now? Yes, indeed. It's time to sow them for the third season of vegetable gardening.
There are several benefits to gardening in fall. Cool weather brings out the sweetest flavor of many vegetables. It also reduces the need to water as often and the damage caused by insects and disease. And cool temperatures are not only easier on plants, but their gardeners, too.
Timing is everything when it comes to planting seeds for fall harvest. The average date of the first hard frost is the most important factor when determining not only which vegetables to plant, but also when to sow their seeds. In our area, the first hard frost is expected sometime early in October.
To be sure plants will have time to mature before frost, check the back of seed packets for the number of days to maturity. (If transplants are being planted, reduce that number by a couple of weeks.)
Subtract that number from the first frost date and then add a week or so to account for the decrease of daylight hours as fall progresses. As daylight becomes shorter, plants take a little longer to mature than they did in long, sunny summer days.
Most vegetables appropriate for growing in spring are suitable for fall gardening, too. These cool-season vegetables include leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, peas, radishes and more.
Because tomatoes, peppers, onions, cucumbers and several herbs have claimed most of the space in my containers, I must be very selective when choosing which vegetables to plant now. Finding room for kohlrabi is my priority, followed by another crop of peas, leaf lettuces and radishes.
When planting seeds in the garden, work the soil until it is fine, devoid of clumps difficult for new roots to penetrate. Plant seeds according to the directions on seed packets. Some seeds need more light than others to germinate so be sure to plant them at the correct depth. Water the seeds thoroughly after planting and keep the soil moist, but not soggy, until they have sprouted.
If time gets away and seeds won't have time to fully mature, purchase young plants available at your local garden center. If space opens up on my deck, broccoli and cabbage are planted from transplants.
After the fall crop is planted, sit back and enjoy the rest of summer. In several weeks, another crop of fresh vegetables will be ready to harvest. Take advantage of this third season of growing and enjoy another round of nutritious and, best of all, delicious eating.
• Diana Stoll is a horticulturist, garden writer and speaker. She blogs at gardenwithdiana.com.