Crisp Savoy Cabbage, delicious Broccoli, Chinese cabbage and Collards - It's time to start the fall garden!
July
The first or second week of July I plant broccoli, cabbage, and collard seed in plug trays to grow
plants for the home garden. Also tomato seeds are planted in July to
grow plants for the fall crop in the greenhouse.
My seeds
germinate under florescent lights and once they reach appropriate size
I put them in 3 inch pots and take them to the greenhouse.
Carrot seeds can be planted directly in the garden this month for
carrots that will overwinter in the garden. Garden soil can be amended
with peat moss and compost to make a loose bed for carrots to grow in.
I add one pint of lime for each 5 gallons of peat moss to balance the
acidity. Also potatoes can be planted in the garden for fall harvested
potatoes. They may not grow as well as spring planted potatoes but are
still good. I mulch them heavily to keep the soil as cool as possible.
August
Remember we are in USDA Planting Zone 7
Fall
is a great time to plant those green vegetables. In our home garden we
plant broccoli, collards, savoy cabbage and Chinese cabbage plants in
August. Lettuce plants can be planted as well. It is also a good time
to sow seed for mixed greens such as kale, mustard and turnip. We
should be able to harvest these vegetables through mid-winter.
This
is also the time we plant tomato plants in the greenhouse for fall
tomatoes. These tomatoes should begin ripening in October and continue
through December. Vine ripened tomatoes for Christmas, what a treat.
