by Mark Levisay
August is a time to make decisions about what to do with any available space in your vegetable garden. Do I plant one more batch of bush beans or yellow squash? Or, should I save space for fall vegetables that will need to be planted in a few weeks? If you have lots of empty space then you’re lucky-you can do both! Let’s review some of the most popular fall vegetables and learn about their requirements and time of planting.
The basics
Sun is always of the utmost importance for vegetables and the sun angle, though quite high now, is declining every day. Most fall vegetables will be maturing after the solstice (approx.. 9/21) and day length will be declining. Combine that with leaves on the trees until late in October and you may have more shade than you did in the spring. Plant your fall crops in areas with maximum sun.
If you’ve already grown one or more spring/summer crops don’t forget to add fertilizer to those beds. Good cleanup of the previous plants is also important, as pests like squash bugs and bean beetles will overwinter or lay eggs in crop residue.
Prepare to water a LOT, as we will still have lots of hot, and probably dry weather on into September. Soaker hoses are ideal, especially if you’re going to be using a row cover on any of your crops.
Brassicas
Speaking of row covers, they’re almost essential at this time of year for brassicas. This family of plants includes broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kale. Fall is a great time to grow these, especially if you want to try brussels sprouts. They’re considered to be tastiest after having been touched by frost. Cabbage moths are every where, looking for places to lay their eggs. Young plants can be eaten up by cabbage worms before your eyes in warm weather. My advice is to prepare a bed with a soaker hose so you won’t have to raise your cover too often.
Set up soaker hoses under the row covers to simplify watering.
Shop for healthy seedlings, which should be available between the middle and end of August. Check them closely for worms, as they can already be infested when you buy them. Plant them along the soaker hose at 2’ intervals in rows 3’ apart and cover the bed right away. I use a summerweight fabric for this, as you want to maximize the available sunlight for the plants. Water often in hot, dry weather and you should be good to go.
Protect brassicas from cabbage worms by using row covers.
Beets, potatoes and peas
Beets, potatoes and peas are good candidates for fall planting and will suffer fewer pests late in the summer. I’ve had trouble with cutworms eating my seedling peas, so you may want to sprinkle diatomaceous earth over the soil before the seeds germinate. Potatoes, being related to tomatoes, can get hornworm damage, so watch for these pests and pick off by hand. Beets in my garden have been relatively pest and disease free and are a good fall choice. Plant all of these mid to late August assuming you have space.
Lettuce and spinach
Lettuce and spinach are obvious candidates for fall and winter growth. Last winter I tried covering a row of spinach and lettuce along the south side of my garage. I used a mid-weight fabric as a compromise between light availability and temperature control. We had spinach and lettuce all winter long, and both continued to produce even when the spring planting were mature! Spinach is an especially good winter crop, as the spring planting often bolts quickly in hot weather. These crops are not bothered by too many pests, and don’t have to be covered if you don’t want to bother. You can also plant these relatively short crops in a cold frame if you have one-we’re going to try that this year. They’ll need lots of water to get them started, but probably don’t need to be planted until mid-September.
Winter lettuce under the row cover.
Good luck with your fall garden! Any questions, e-mail me at marklevisay@gmail.com.