THINK FALL

With 90-degree weather on an almost daily basis it’s hard to think about planting fall crops.  However, garden centers will begin to display fall plants in the next three to four weeks. For the best fall harvest many fall vegetables, both direct seeded, as well as plugs, should be in the ground by late August to mid-September. With that said let’s hope cooler weather will prevail by mid-August.

Some fall crops that can be direct seeded are beets, turnips, radishes and the various greens. Greens would include spinach, kale, turnip tops, lettuce, Swiss chard to name just a few.

Vegetable plants that are best planted as plugs would include cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. Lettuce does well when planted as plugs or direct seeded.

Neither list, either direct seeded or plug plants are meant to be complete. If you have a favorite, ask at Gary’s Garden Center for availability and best time to plant.

Generally, for fall plantings you want vegetables that mature quickly and that are frost tolerant. Some vegetables that will survive light frosts include beets, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, celery, collards, lettuce, radishes to name just a few.

Some hardier vegetables would include cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, kale, leeks and turnips. By hardier is defined as surviving to about 20 degrees. When it warms, they thaw and go back to growing. We have cabbage that survive most of our winters and are delicious in early spring.

Onions and garlic planted in the fall easily survive our winters and start growing in the first warm days of spring. They seem to produce better crops when planted in the fall.

Don’t be fooled by all the 90-degree days. Fall, will come. If you want a good harvest of fall vegetables, it’s time to start thinking and planning on what you will plant. Fall plants and seed will be in stock soon. Be ready.

Check with Nelson at Gary’s Garden Center on Leesville Road for both availability and best time to plant.