Summer Planting for Fall and Winter Harvest
By Ira Wallace of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange and the author Grow Great Vegetables in Virginia
It seems like we just got started with our summer succession plantings, laid out the drip irrigation and finished mulching everything in sight and now it’s time to start planting broccoli, cabbage and other brassicas for our Fall and Winter garden even if it is 105 F degrees. Well it can’t be helped if you want to have a glorious second spring in September that carries you through the holidays, into winter and on not stopping until after your spring crops are producing “baby greens” then I need to start planting now in our zone 7 garden. And for details of timing contact your local Master Gardener or county extension office and Southern Exposure has several fall planting guides on our website to help you out.
As insurance against fickle weather I usually make at least two planting of broccoli and cabbage seedlings for my Fall garden because frankly vegetable plants don’t care what season it is, as long as their basic growing conditions are met. When it is 100F for days in a row you have to make it cooler. The soil temperature should be 85 F or lower to get normal seedling. If you have space to start seedlings inside in flats that might be sufficient as long as they are keep moist and get enough light once the seedlings emerge. I need to start a lot of plants so:
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I start my brassicas outdoors in a rich specially prepared seedling bed in a partially shaded area that still has 6-8 hrs of sunlight per day. We have trees just in the right place. Corn or tall trellised tomatoes can provide enough shade.
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I cool the soil by watering the bed thoroughly a week before planting, again the day before planting and immediately after planting.
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I cover the planted area with a piece of salvaged window screen to keep it cooler and moist. Remove screen as soon as plants emerge.
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Cover with hoops and a lightweight spun polyester row cover to protect the emerging seedlings from flea beetles, grasshoppers and other insect pests.
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I water daily until the seedling emerge. Then check daily and water as needed.
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Thin or spot seedling so they are 2” apart when they have their first true leaves.
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At 3 to 4 weeks transplant seedlings to their final growing space. Water thoroughly and keep covered with row for insects and to extend the Fall harvest.
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Monitor plants and make sure they get at least 1-2” of water per week.
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Lettuce responds well to similar treatment and may need to be planted in the early evening and watered with cold water or ice the first evening after planting to get good germination.
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Fall peas is another crop many gardeners don’t plant because it is so hot when they need to be started but really they are easy if you presoak the seeds the night before planting and plant in a drill that has been filled with water that soaks in so the seeds have plenty of water to germinate. All the summer starting tips for brassicas apply to peas as well.
Gardeners in warmer climates of the coastal and lower south generally are able to grow “fall vegetables” all winter long. Colder or mountainous areas of the southeast, on the other hand, have a shortened growing season in late summer, before really hard freezing weather begins. Elliot Coleman was my guru for winter gardening. If he could do it in Maine it should be easy in Virginia.
In addition to the cool weather vegetable gardeners in most of the southeast have time to make more succession plantings of summer crops like cucumber, beans, summer squash and corn. In the late summer and fall it is best to choose quick varieties that can mature and be harvested before growth slows to much as the days shorten and the temperature cool off in fall.
It is not time yet to plant garlic but it is time to order your bulbs and plan so that you will have well prepared space when the time comes to plant your garlic in October. Those of you interested in adding perennial vegetables to your garden might enjoy reading Kelly Winterton’s online booklet All About Potato Onions. I think everyone interested in food self sufficiency should give one of the other onions like Egyptian Onions, White Multipliers or Yellow Potato Onions a try.
One of my favorite summer meals doesn’t involve cooking at all. Try making 2 slices of fresh homemade bread spread with homemade mayonnaise add slices from one small green onion and one large heirloom tomato plus garden fresh lettuce and basil if you like. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
