It's Hot, but Not If You're Thinking Fall Veggies

From the Anniston Star (AL).

"It’s so hot that many folks, including myself, have almost given up on summer gardening. However, August is the time to begin thinking about fall gardening. Despite the heat, late summer and early fall is the scheduled time to plant many cool season vegetables in Alabama. Days will be getting shorter and cooler, and will be the ideal time for the leafy vegetables.

Cool-season vegetables, such as turnips, rutabagas, collards, kale, mustard, spinach, Swiss chard, cabbage and kohlrabi can be planted from mid-August through September. In our part of Alabama, we do not receive early killing frosts, so leafy greens will continue to grow. In fact, some leafy greens are sweeter-tasting and more tender after they have had some frost on the leaves.

Plant broccoli and cauliflower from seed in August. Transplants can be set out in the garden in September. Fast-growing, cool-season vegetables, such as leaf lettuces, arugula and radishes, can be planted every two weeks to extend the harvest period in the fall.

Fall is also a good time to plant onion seed. They are slow-growing and won’t be ready to harvest this fall, but by planting seed in warm soil, they will continue to grow. Onions overwinter in the soil when temperatures do not get extremely cold. Remember to plant short-day varieties, such as Granex 33 or Texas Grano 502. Onion seed should be planted in mid-October. Start onion seed in an open flat using a soil-less growing media.

Fall gardens may need more attention than spring gardens. Water the garden to compensate for unusually dry periods in the fall. Eliminate all existing weeds and then control future weeds with the help of mulches. Scout your garden weekly, or better yet, even daily, for insect pests. After the summer growing season, some pest numbers may be high in or around your garden.

The same pests that feed on cabbage leaves, cabbage worms and cabbage loopers, also enjoy feeding on other members of the Brassica family (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and collards). The caterpillars are so well-camouflaged with the same color as leaves, they are hard to see. But you won’t miss the feeding they have done on your leaves or the frass they leave behind. Start early when you first detect their feeding by using Dipel (Bacillus thuringiensis), a naturally derived insecticide that is safe to you, but makes caterpillars sick.

Use fertilizer prior to planting according to soil test recommendations. Leafy green vegetables have a higher-than-average need for nitrogen. Apply higher levels of ammonium nitrate (34-0-0 during the growing season.

Sustainable Backyard Classes

American consumers are showing a new interest in home gardening. Farmers markets are seeing record shoppers and new markets are reappearing after years of absence. Americans are again interested in where their food comes from and are also eager to try growing it themselves.

In response to this trend, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System will present The Sustainable Backyard – A home-grown series of classes designed for beginner gardeners Aug. 23 through Sept. 27."

Wench's note: check your local cooperative extension office for scheduled classes in your area.

My own fall planting will commence on Labor Day weekend. Last fall's chard and kale are still growing in the garden as we speak (withstanding both snow and most heat), but the romaine petered out in June--salads can be had cheaply in both winter and summer, and can be cheaper than a Big Mac, despite evidence to the contrary!