Gardening doesn't have to end with your summer-grown crops. Plan for a fall garden so that you can have fresh produce well into the winter.
Plant crops according to your planting plan, grouping plants to be sure short ones are not shaded by tall ones. To encourage good germination, fill each seed furrow with water and let it soak in. Keep the soil moist until seeds have germinated.
In some areas, fall vegetables are harvested beginning in early September. They consist of two types:
*the last succession plantings of warm-season crops, such as corn and bush beans.
*cool-season crops which grow well during the cool fall days and withstand frost such as cabbage, broccoli, leafy greens, and root crops.
Note that cool nights slow growth, so crops take longer to mature in the fall (and spring) than in the summer. Keep this slower pace in mind when you check seed catalogs for the average days to maturity. Some of the best quality vegetables are produced during fall's warm days and cool nights. These environmental conditions add sugar to sweet corn and cole crops, and crispness to carrots.
For a list of vegetables suitable for the fall garden, contact your local Extension office.
