Beets are looking good
This summer, so far, has been a challenging one for our gardens. June brought us record-high temperatures and nary a drop of rain, both of which can be quite devastating to our gardens. Even if you watered diligently, your plants were definitely stressed from the heat. July did give us a smidgen of rain and slightly lower temperatures; however, it made little impact to the scorching heat. It was unbearable to be in the garden for long periods of time during the heat of the day. (This is why it is always best to do your gardening chores in the early morning or right before the sun goes down.) High heat and humidity can certainly detract from the fun factor in gardening. This is one reason why many people lose interest in their gardens during the dog days of summer. I know I tend to! But I also know that now is not the time to neglect my garden. There is still watering, weeding, fertilizing and daily harvesting to take care of. It is also very important to clean up and dispose of any diseased or dying plants from your garden.
As you are tidying up your garden, you will probably end up with some extra space. If you’d like to extend your growing season, I’d like you to consider planting a fall/winter garden. Now is the perfect time to start planning and prepping for your fall garden. Planting a fall garden has numerous advantages, yet it doesn’t seem very popular. Maybe it’s because you have to start planting it in the middle of the summer. Don’t let that deter you, though. Soon the scorching heat will be replaced with more pleasant gardening weather. Many wonderful vegetables can be grown here through our mild winters. A lot of vegetables actually grow better in cooler temperatures. Carrots, peas, lettuce and cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, etc.) thrive in the fall and winter. Other veggies you may want to plant in your fall garden are beets, turnips, spinach, Swiss chard and broccoli raab (my very favorite). Another wonderful benefit to fall gardening is the bug population is lower.
Starting a fall garden is very similar to starting a spring garden. You won’t need to till the soil, but you will need to apply more all-purpose, organic fertilizer. Just dig it into the top few inches of soil with a spade or garden fork.
Unfortunately, I don’t know of any local nurseries that sell fall vegetable seedlings, so direct-seeding is the way to go. If you’ve never started seeds in the garden, don’t be intimidated. I promise it is not as daunting a task as you think. It is actually a very simple and rewarding process. You’ll need to hoe a 4-inch furrow in your recently dug, fertilized soil. Then place the seeds in the bottom of the furrow and cover with about 2 inches of soil, leaving the furrow edges to help conserve water and provide a little shading from the blaring sun. Seeds need constant moisture to germinate so be sure you water 2 or 3 times a day until they are well established. After a couple weeks, you will want to thin out your seedlings so they aren’t growing too close together. Also, don’t forget to feed your seedlings every two weeks with a liquid fish and seaweed fertilizer.
As you can see, starting a fall garden is very simple. It can even be more enjoyable than your summer garden. Cool autumn weather is a delightful time to be out and about in the garden. You will be able to grow many exciting vegetables that just don’t do well in the heat of summer. And did I mention there are also less annoying bugs in the fall? So don’t delay, start your fall garden today!
