On July 20, I wrote about planting vegetable seeds for an autumn harvest. I started the seeds in containers and grew them indoors under lights. This was to protect them from the ravenous slugs in my garden. The day before our recent trip, I realized that they needed transplanting out. I didn't want them to suffer in the garden, from heat or slugs, so I moved the flat to the window. They did okay, got a little leggy, but okay.
The deadline for my garden, to get kale out and in the ground is around August 10, if I want to have much to harvest in October. So out to the garden I went. I cleared the spots for the transplants, pulled up the finished snow peas, weeded a whole lot and worked in some compost. The kale, chard and two types of lettuce were ready to transplant. I had started spinach seeds directly in the garden, as those don't transplant as well for me. The spinach is just now coming up and should give us enough for salads in late September. I also started seeds directly in the garden this week for mustard greens. Mustard greens germinate quickly and will mature in about 45 days.
I expect most of this week's planting will be ready for harvest mid-September, and continue until mid-November. By the time a hard freeze hits in late November, I'm pretty much done with gardening, anyway, and enjoy the break until spring. There is one big bonus to planting an autumn garden in our region. Kale, chard and mustard greens return in mid-March to give me fresh vegetables once again.
For many areas, it's not too late to begin planting for an autumn harvest. Quick to mature crops like mustard greens, spinach and radishes could still reach maturity in many locales, before heavy frost. A pot on a south facing exterior wall could be filled with salad greens, spinach and radishes. Some nurseries have fall veggie starts for sale. These could jump start a late planting, and provide salads throughout the month of September.
Any thoughts on an autumn garden in your yard?
