A Golden Opportunity
Summer is in full swing! Spring greens have wilted away in the heat, tomatoes are starting to ripen on the vines, zucchini's broad canopy is attempting a coup of the rest of the garden, and a fruitful season is upon us.
It can be easy, in the midst of such abundant harvests, to forget about the opportunities for planting at this moment. And yet there are many opportunities for planting that shouldn’t be missed, now and in the weeks to come.
Planting cool season veggies now, will yield an abundance in the Fall and Winter months!
Late July-Early August is actually a critical window for planting many vegetables that will mature in the Fall and Winter months ahead. Many home gardeners attempt to plant “Fall Vegetables” in the Fall, which turns out to be a solid 2-3 months too late for growing successful cool season crops. These vegetables, while they love to mature in the cool months ahead, need the long hot days of late Summer to get started on their journey. With a good start in the heat of late Summer, they will cruise into their maturity in September and on into the Fall.
What to plant NOW in your home vegetable garden:
Carrots can be planted at many times throughout the year. Now is the perfect time for planting for a Fall/Winter harvest.
Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Kohlrabi: Plant these from starts now for a one time Fall harvest. The same veggies planted in mid August will be harvestable in the winter as a succession planting.
Carrots, Beets, Turnips, and Rutabagas: These roots are at their absolute peak sweetness when harvested in the dead of winter. They take a long time to mature (especially beets and carrots) and should be planted ASAP from seeds for an abundant winter harvest.
Kale, Collard Greens, and Chard: This trio of hardy greens will provide a continuous harvest for many months in the Fall and Winter when planted now from starts. Spraying weekly with organic “Bt” (Bacillus thuringiensis) can help protect kale and collards from cabbage moths.
Dill, Cilantro, and Parsley: These annual herbs are great options for late Summer. Dill and cilantro are easily grown from seeds (or starts), but have a shorter “harvest window” and will be ready in late Summer. Parsley planted from starts will be harvestable all through the winter!
Lettuce: A workhorse in the garden and the kitchen, lettuce can be planted in many seasons. Plant every 2-3 weeks until early September to have a continuous harvest from late Summer until deep into the Fall! Choose heat tolerant or “bolt resistant” varieties for planting in July and August.
Scallions and Leeks: These veggies should be planted from starts ASAP! Scallions will mature in late Summer, and Leeks will mature for a Winter harvest.