Last updated on December 2nd, 2011
WHO ELSE IS PLANTING AUTUMN CROPS? I find these late-summer sowings pay hefty dividends. Even here in cold, zone 5-b, I enjoy August-sown salad greens right up until frost, while late plantings of beets, green beans and broccoli provide me with food to freeze, and store for winter. All these and other fast-growing, cool-season subjects can be planted now:
Crop/Days to Maturity
Radish ‘French Breakfast’ 23
Spinach ‘Baby’s Leaf’ 30 days; ‘Bloomsdale Longstanding’ 45
Arugula ‘Rocket’ 35
Mesclun (all varieties) 30-45
Leaf lettuce (including ‘Red Oak’) 50
Broccoli ‘Green Goliath’ 50 (tolerates frost)
Beet ‘Chicago Red’ 49
Carrot 65 (can be left in ground; harvest during a March thaw)
Green Beans ‘Tenderpod’ 50 days.
Swiss Chard ‘Five Color Silverbeet’ 52 (tolerates frost)
Cauliflower ‘First White Hybrid’ 50
Kale 50 (tolerates frost)
Of course, if you start your crops from transplants, not seeds, harvest-time will be reduced by weeks. Such seedlings can be found at quality farm-stores, like this one, in both August and September.
After a summer of oppressive heat, humidity, and near-global drought, I’m looking forward to a little cool-season planting. How about you?
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Related Posts:
How to Plant, Harvest, & Store Potatoes
How to Harvest & Store Winter Squash
How to Harvest & Store Onions
A Walk in the Kitchen Garden
Adele says
Kevin, thanks for the reminder. I will definitely plant more lettuce…all of my June sowings bolted in July.
erin says
I just planted my last green beans on Sunday. It made me a bit sad to think that summer is almost over…
Carol says
Already planted today: romain, arugula, frisee, all from seedlings (my mom & pop nursery had them). Tomorrow I'll plant broccoli and radishes from seed. Beets sound like a good idea, too!
Anne says
I planted bush beans from seed two weeks ago and they are already in leaf!!!! Yesterday we finally captured a woodchuck who loved my fabulous crop devouring everything this past month. It seems the Japanese beetles have departed as well. Sooo I'm hopeful of a delicious fall crop of vegetables.
Everyone-Please be careful of the saddleback catepillar which hides among ground leaves. The sting might land you in the emergency room.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Anne – thanks for the saddleback caterpillar alert! What beautiful creatures with nasty, stinging “hairs.”