Here it is the middle of summer and in this Tips from the Yard we are talking about planning a fall vegetable garden. When planting a fall garden, measure seed starting back from the 1st fall frost date. Seed packets identify the “date to maturity” (DTM) this is the time to maturity measured from transplanting planted outdoors date. The germination time needs to be added to the DTM. Frosts are common in Lorain County in mid-October. Count back from mid-October to determine when to plant seeds. If a seed needs 60 days to reach maturity count back 2 months, to mid-August. Add 2 weeks for seeds to germinate and give a cushion on the maturity end. Seeds should be started in early August.
The cool weather crops are the recommended crops for fall gardening. Greens, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, kale, Swiss chard, onion sets, beets, turnips, and carrots. Bush beans and even peas can be successful, but they should be planted in early July. Radishes can be planted every couple of weeks. It can be hard to find transplants so direct seeding is the most common method of starting a fall garden.
Most fall root crops will sweeten after a frost. The starches will change to sugar, the sugar acts as an anti-freezing agent for the plant’s cells. It allows the vegetable to withstand the cold temperatures and provides sweet tasting root crops. This same process is what makes brussels sprouts so tasty but they have a long growing season, so are not normally planted so late.
During fall planting, it’s important to consider how long the garden will be producing. Season extenders; low tunnels, cloches, cold frames, and leaf mulch can be utilized as the temperatures drop to consistently below freezing. These aids work great for the greens. It is advisable to plant this time of the year in rows. It makes protecting the plants much easier, when using low tunnels. Low tunnels are short hoops covered with a frost cloth. They hold the ground heat and trap sun radiation to moderate the temperature around the plants. Cold frames provide a sheltered environment for scattered plants, similar to square-foot planting. These work well for greens and micro greens. Cloches are usually used for individual plants. The idea is the same they are creating an environment that protects the plants from the cold temperatures. As the temperatures continue to drop, mulch and even additional cloths can be added to the low hoops and cold frames. If the winter is mild, it is possible that greens can overwinter. Growth will be slowed but they can be harvested all winter.
Next Tip let’s look at soil vs soilless mixes. What they are and when to use them.
-M. Massey
References:
–Start your Fall Garden, University of Illinois
–Planning your Vegetable Garden, University of Massachusetts Amherst
–Vegetable Planting Chart, University of Massachusetts Amherst
–Season Extenders and Growing Fall Vegetables, Penn State Univeristy