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. Continue reading Tips from the Yard: Planting a Fall Vegetable Garden