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 Start by looking for vacant spaces in the
vegetable garden. Fill areas that were not planted this spring or
replant rows of quick maturing vegetables like lettuce, spinach,
radishes, and beets that have already been harvested. Expand your
search to other vacant spaces in flowerbeds, mixed borders, and
containers.
Select vegetables that will have sufficient time to reach maturity
before your growing season ends. Simply count the number of days
from planting to the date of the average first fall frost in your
area. Those in frost-free areas can plant longer season crops that
benefit from maturing during the cooler months of fall.
Second plantings can be started from seeds or plants, if available.
Check the back of the seed packet or plant tag to find out how many
days each plant variety needs to grow and produce. Add a few weeks
to allow time for harvesting. As long as there is enough time for
the seeds to sprout, grow, and produce before the end of your
growing season, they can be added to the garden.
Fill your late season garden with lots of variety. Include root
crops like beets, carrots, radishes, and turnips. Greens like leaf
lettuce, spinach, collards, kale, and chard provide the basis for a
great fall salad and some make great additions to stir fries. Try
onions, kohlrabi, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and
sweet corn for some variety. Just make sure the seeds or transplants
will have enough time to grow and produce.
Some vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts
taste better when grown and harvested during cooler months. These
along with other vegetables like spinach, mustard, lettuce,
radishes, and leeks tolerate a light frost, giving you a longer
harvest season.
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Wait for the soil to cool before planting lettuce and
other vegetable seeds that require cooler temperatures to germinate.
Or start the plants indoors and move them into the garden as
transplants. Help keep the soil cool by mulching plantings with
shredded leaves, evergreen needles, or other organic mulch.
Water your gardens as needed throughout the season. New plantings
will need a bit more attention when establishing roots during the
hot summer months.
Extend the harvest season with a bit of frost protection or added
warmth as needed. Cover plantings with floating row covers that
allow light and water through while trapping heat around the plants.
Cold frames and high tunnels are other options that allow you to
plant earlier and harvest longer. You will find ready-to-purchase
options or instructions for creating your own season extending
growing system.
Midsummer planting adds a few extra weeks, even months, to your
harvest season. You will enjoy the garden-fresh flavor while
benefiting from the increased nutritional value of your fall meals.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including
The Midwest Gardener’s Handbook and Small Space Gardening. She hosts
The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the
nationally-syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program.
Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms
magazine. Her web site is www.MelindaMyers.com.
[photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com] |
