Fall Vegetable Gardening

Even experienced gardeners will often ignore the fact that
their gardening efforts can extend well into the fall season,
while in certain sections of the world; gardening is virtually a
year round endeavor. Extending the gardening season is becoming
more critical to all of us because of the changing dynamics in
the world's food supply. This is a situation that we will have
to live with for an extended period of time, so it is a good
idea to do our bit. The victory gardens of World War II provided
40% of the country's food supply, proving that we can make a
difference.

It is hard to think about planting more vegetables at a time
when fresh produce is so abundant in our garden, but late July
and early September are good times to plant cool weather crops.
Fall plants such as broccoli and cauliflower usually taste
better when grown in the cooler weather, while others such as
kale and Swiss chard reach their peak flavor after the first
frost.

Fall planting requires less work because the soil was worked up
in the spring, so a light cultivation is usually all that is
needed after removing all the previous crop waste. Place the
debris into your compost pile after being sure to remove any
diseased vegetation, Top dress the garden with some compost or
organic mulch and work it into your soil. Then you can proceed
to plant according to recommended methods.

Examples of good fall plants are: broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
Chinese cabbage, endive, kale, lettuce, parsnips, peas,
potatoes, radishes, mustard and spinach. Do not plant the same
crops back in the exact same place, but rotate your crops to
reduce potential disease problems.

It is a good idea to consult with your local garden center or
your local county extension service for advice on correct
planting times for your growing zone.

As the fall season nears, protection for these crops has to be
considered. One method is to cover the crops with sheets,
plastic sheeting, or mulch which will trap the radiated heat
from the ground and raise the temperature enough to protect them
from a light frost.

Some crops such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi,
potatoes, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage and kale are not affected
by frost or even moderate freezes and can be left in the garden
until the hard freezes set in. Root crops such as beets,
carrots, parsnips and turnips can be re-mulched, left in the
garden and dug up as needed.

If a hard freeze is predicted, pick the green mature tomatoes
or pull the entire plants.

Store them in a dry cool (65 degree) place where they will
ripen in about two weeks. Delicate plants such as squash,
peppers and eggplant should be harvested and stored in a
comparable location as the tomatoes.

After harvesting and while the weather is still pleasant, many
chores can be accomplished in anticipation of spring and next
year's garden. Cleaning up garden refuse, adding soil amendments
to your plot and making a planting plan of your garden to decide
how you want to rotate your crops while this year's garden is
still fresh in your mind, are just three jobs to get out of the
way.

Now you can kick back in your easy chair, read the seed
catalogs and dream of those prize winning vegetables you are
going to raise.

About The Author: Dick Murray loves to write about growing
fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables and has created an
information packed web site dedicated to gardening basics and
designed for families who care about their food supply.
http://www.vegetable-gardening-basics.com

Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=285193