Despite summertime temperatures, it is time to plant your fall garden. Here is a quick to-do list:
Harvest existing crops and decide which crops you want to leave in the ground (peppers and tomatoes will grow until just before frost).
Clear out crop residues and weeds. Don’t put diseased crops in your compost pile unless your pile gets consistently hot enough to kill weed seeds and pathogens.
Site fall crops where they will get full sun in wintertime. The sun is much lower during fall and winter, so sunny summer areas may be shady in fall/winter.
Add compost and lime (if needed).
Plant a cover crop in beds you won’t be planting in fall. This will prevent erosion and add fertility. At a minimum, mulch with wheat straw to prevent weeds.
There are so many delicious fall crops – salad greens, cooking greens, and root vegetables. These crops taste of vitality. You will be so happy you took the time to plant a fall garden!
Fall crops include cabbage, kale, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts (plant mid-summer), chard, lettuce, spinach, beets, leeks, carrots, onions, and garlic (plant mid-october), sugar snap peas, and more.
Lettuce & spinach will not germinate in hot soil. Start them indoors or in the cool shade of a tree. Move them into full sun immediately after they sprout so they don’t get leggy.
Veggie transplants give you a big jump start.
Water young transplants and baby seedlings frequently (possibly daily). Once established, veggies require 1” of water per week.
Fertilize with Neptune’s Harvest Fish/Seaweed liquid fertilizer at planting time, and weekly after that for the first month. If additional fertilizer is needed, side-dress with Espoma or Symphony granular fertilizer.
Use floating row cover to protect your plants from frost. We often have an extended Indian Summer after the first frost.
Taste tip – frost makes collard greens taste sweeter.
Enjoy your harvest!