Your Guide to Fall Planting!
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Many cool-season vegetable produce their best flavor and quality when they mature during cool weather. Vegetables such as lettuce and spinach tend to bolt or develop bitter flavor when they mature during hot summer weather. Here's a quick reference guide:
Late-maturing crops Approximate maturity 90 days. Plant by mid July for fall harvest, later for spring harvest.
ROOTCROPS
- Beets
- Carrots
- Parsnip
- Rutabaga
- Globe Onions
LEAFCROPS
- Brussells Sprouts
- Cabbages
- Cauliflower
- Fava Bean
ROOTCROPS
- Early Carrots
- Leek
- Turnip
- Kohlrabi
LEAFCROPS
- Early Cabbages
- Winter Cauliflower
- Collards
- Perennial Flowers
- Perennial Herbs
- Swiss Chard
ROOTCROPS
- Chives
- Bunching Onions
- Radishes
LEAFCROPS
- Broccoli
- Cover Crops
- Leaf Lettuces
- Mustard
- Spinach
- Lawn seed
Preparing the Site
Before preparing the soil for a fall garden, you must decide what to do with the remains of the spring garden. In most cases, the decision is not difficult because the cool-season crops have already matured and the warm-season vegetables are beginning to look ragged. Remove the previous crop residue and any weed growth.
Planting the Fall Garden
Direct seeding (planting seeds rather than using transplants) for crops such as broccoli, cabbage, and collards is often used in the fall. However, the success of this planting method depends on having adequate moisture available to keep the young seedlings actively growing after germination. Seeds should be planted deeper in the fall because the moisture level is lower in the soil and the surface temperature is higher. In many cases, the planting depth may be 1 1/2 to 2 times as deep as for spring planting of the same crop.
Watering/Fertilizing Most vegetables require 1 inch of water per week. It's best to make a single watering that penetrates deeply rather than frequent shallow applications. Young seedlings and germinating seeds may need more frequent, light waterings. Do not allow seedlings to dry out excessively. New transplants may also benefit from frequent light waterings until they develop new roots.
Many fall-maturing vegetables benefit from sidedressing with nitrogen just as do spring maturing vegetables. Most leafy vegetables will benefit from an application of nitrogen three and six weeks after planting.
Insects and Diseases
It is not uncommon for insects and diseases to be more abundant in the fall. Most problems from insects and diseases result from a buildup in their populations during the spring and summer. There is hope of keeping these pests at tolerable levels, however, if a few strategies are followed. Strive to keep fall vegetables healthy and actively growing; healthy plants are less susceptible to insects and diseases. Check the plants frequently for insect and disease damage. When sufficient damage is detected, use an approved pesticide. You may decide not to grow vegetables, such as squash, corn, and cucumbers, that are specially insect and disease prone during late summer and fall.
Frost Protection
You can extend the season of tender vegetables by protecting them through the first early frost. Cover growing beds or rows with burlap or a floating row cover supported by stakes or wire to keep the material from directly touching the plants. Individual plants can be protected by using milk jugs, paper caps, or water-holding walls.
Most of the semi-hardy and hardy vegetables will require little or no frost protection. Semi-hardy vegetables should be harvested before a heavy freeze. Root crops such as carrots and radishes should be harvested or mulched heavily before a hard freeze. The harvest of mulched root crops can often be extended will into the winter. During mild winters, harvest may continue till spring.
