... by Pam Paizs, owner of Happy Hovel Storable Foods

You may think that early September is a terrible time to be thinking about planting a vegetable garden. But if you want to harvest late plantings of cool weather vegetables, now is the time to get these seeds in the ground. Fall vegetables don't require any special care; in fact you'll spend less time caring for your fall crops because of the favorable autumn growing conditions. The plants will grow rapidly at first and gradually slow as the days become shorter and colder. If you're lucky, and Mother Nature cooperates, you could be eating vegetables fresh from the garden along with your Thanksgiving Day turkey!

What To Plant In General

Vegetables that grow best in cool weather are leafy greens, root crops and various members of the cabbage family. Beets, carrots, peas, chard, endive, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, turnips, radishes, spinach, oriental vegetables like Chinese cabbage and bok choy and transplants of late cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts may be planted in early August for fall harvesting.

Fall plantings of lettuce are healthier and better tasting than the ones harvested in early spring. I plant Cauliflower in the fall, you will get snowy white heads with excellent flavor. I have similar good results with fall plantings of Brussels sprouts.

Garlic: In addition, garlic can be planted two to four weeks before the first frost for harvest the following summer. Shallots can be planted after the first frost. Don't plant earlier because any top growth they may send up will be damaged by winter cold. These can be planted in containers in a sunny spot protected from winds.

Planting Seeds Directly In The Garden

Plant seeds deeper than in the spring so they will be in a moister and cooler layer of the soil. Provide shade for any transplants until they become acclimated to the outside garden. It is also a good idea to shade newly emerging seedlings until most have germinated and/or the weather has cooled. I simply place an old piece of lattice on top of some bricks until the seeds are up and going strong. To increase seed germination, water the planting area with a fine mist 30 minutes before you plant. This lowers the soil temperature and creates the conditions that cool-season crops prefer.

Windbreaks and Walls

You can add from 10^oF. to 15^oF. of warmth to your fall and winter garden by taking advantage of windbreaks and walls. Many gardeners have discovered by surprise that a south-facing wall of the home, shed, or greenhouse is ideally situated for constructing easily built structures that use the free solar energy of the sun.

Planting A Garden In Fall - NOT REALLY A GREEN HOUSE BUT IT WORKS:

Either in containers or in a raised bed using a cloches which provide an elevated warm climate around your winter row crops. They can best be described as portable green houses of various designs that work with solar energy to warm the immediate row or plant they are placed over. Many designs have been tried. Ideas range from very stiff wire frames holding glass panes, to clear gallon-size plastic bleach or pop bottles with their bottoms removed. All cloches have two drawbacks to consider. First, on bright sunny winter days they have to be manually ventilated to prevent excessive heat build up. Second, poorly constructed or "staked-down" cloches can become kites during winter windstorms.

ALSO

Don't be afraid to try planting some crops later than recommended. While it is a bit risky, the rewards are definitely worth the risk.

Early Maturing Crops - Approximate Maturity 30 Days

Plant by mid September:

• Chives
• Bunching Onions
• Radishes
• Broccoli
• Leaf Lettuces
• Mustard Greens
• Winter Cauliflower
• Collards
• Perennial Herbs
• Swiss Chard
• Spinach
• Winter Cauliflower

© 2008, Pam Paizs

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     Pam Paizs, once the CEO of Australia's then largest Food Corporation, set up the research and development for "shelf stable" foods for the consumer market. Now owner of Happy Hovel Storable Foods in Yelm WA, Pam shares with you her knowledge of storing foods safely, taking the mystery out of purchasing and keeping foods for short and long-term purposes.